Latest news with #GeoffreyHinton
Business Insider
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
The Godfather of AI lays out a key difference between OpenAI and Google when it comes to safety
When it comes to winning the AI race, the "Godfather of AI" thinks there's an advantage in having nothing to lose. On an episode of the "Diary of a CEO" podcast that aired June 16, Geoffrey Hinton laid out what he sees as a key difference between how OpenAI and Google, his former employer, dealt with AI safety. "When they had these big chatbots, they didn't release them, possibly because they were worried about their reputation," Hinton said of Google. "They had a very good reputation, and they didn't want to damage it." Google released Bard, its AI chatbot, in March of 2023, before later incorporating it into its larger suite of large language models called Gemini. The company was playing catch-up, though, since OpenAI released ChatGPT at the end of 2022. Hinton, who earned his nickname for his pioneering work on neural networks, laid out a key reason that OpenAI could move faster on the podcast episode: "OpenAI didn't have a reputation, and so they could afford to take the gamble." Talking at an all-hands meeting shortly after ChatGPT came out, Google's then-head of AI said the company didn't plan to immediately release a chatbot because of " reputational risk," adding that it needed to make choices "more conservatively than a small startup," CNBC reported at the time. The company's AI boss, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, said in February of this year that AI poses potential long-term risks, and that agentic systems could get "out of control." He advocated having a governing body that regulates AI projects. Gemini has made some high-profile mistakes since its launch, and showed bias in its written responses and image-generating feature. Google CEO Sundar Pichai addressed the controversy in a memo to staff last year, saying the company " got it wrong" and pledging to make changes. The " Godfather" saw Google's early chatbot decision-making from the inside — he spent more than a decade at the company before quitting to talk more freely about what he describes as the dangers of AI. On Monday's podcast episode, though, Hinton said he didn't face internal pressure to stay silent. "Google encouraged me to stay and work on AI safety, and said I could do whatever I liked on AI safety," he said. "You kind of censor yourself. If you work for a big company, you don't feel right saying things that will damage the big company." Overall, Hinton said he thinks Google "actually behaved very responsibly." Hinton couldn't be as sure about OpenAI, though he has never worked at the company. When asked whether the company's CEO, Sam Altman, has a "good moral compass" earlier in the episode, he said, "We'll see." He added that he doesn't know Altman personally, so he didn't want to comment further. OpenAI has faced criticism in recent months for approaching safety differently than in the past. In a recent blog post, the company said it would only change its safety requirements after making sure it wouldn't "meaningfully increase the overall risk of severe harm." Its focus areas for safety now include cybersecurity, chemical threats, and AI's power to improve independently. Altman defended OpenAI's approach to safety in an interview at TED2025 in April, saying that the company's preparedness framework outlines "where we think the most important danger moments are." Altman also acknowledged in the interview that OpenAI has loosened some restrictions on its model's behavior based on user feedback about censorship. The earlier competition between OpenAI and Google to release initial chatbots was fierce, and the AI talent race is only heating up. Documents reviewed by Business Insider reveal that Google relied on ChatGPT in 2023 — during its attempts to catch up to ChatGPT.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
'AI will replace everyone': Nobel prize winner for AI shares a tip hidden in bathroom to protect your career
As the world rapidly embraces automation, one of the pioneers of modern artificial intelligence is voicing strong concerns about what lies ahead. Geoffrey Hinton , the British-Canadian computer scientist widely known as the 'Godfather of AI,' has made a rare public statement highlighting which jobs are most vulnerable, and which ones might endure. Hinton, who played a key role in developing the AI systems that now power tools from chatbots to healthcare technology, stepped away from his position at Google in 2023. Since then, he has spoken more openly about the potential dangers of the very technology he helped shape. In a recent episode of *The Diary of a CEO* podcast with Steven Bartlett, Hinton shared his views on the future of work in an AI-driven world. In an unexpected insight, he named plumbing as one of the few career paths likely to remain relatively secure. Hinton on job that will remain safe Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. While talking about the risks of AI, Hinton made a simple point: machines are good at thinking, not at fixing pipes. 'It's going to be a long time before [AI is] as good at physical manipulation as us,' he said. 'A good bet would be to be a plumber.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse dispositivo discreto está virando febre entre idosos com dor nos nervos. A arte do herbalismo Undo Plumbing is difficult to automate because it demands manual expertise, on-the-spot judgment, and the ability to solve problems in unpredictable environments. A plumber might have to squeeze under a sink, deal with irregular water pressure, or fix an issue without clear instructions—challenges that current AI systems aren't equipped to handle. According to Hinton, jobs that depend on hands-on skills are far less likely to be replaced by AI in the near future. While machines excel at processing data and generating content, they still can't climb ladders or tighten valves. That makes skilled trade professions—like plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry—more resilient in an increasingly automated world. Live Events Office jobs face AI pressure, says 'Godfather of AI' While plumbers may have some protection for now, Geoffrey Hinton believes many office-based jobs are far more vulnerable. He specifically pointed to roles like legal assistants and paralegals as among the first to be reshaped by AI. These positions often involve tasks such as reviewing contracts, analyzing documents, and summarizing information—functions that large language models are already capable of performing. With AI tools now able to draft legal content and even forecast case outcomes, the demand for human support roles in law firms could decline. Hinton wasn't sounding an alarm for the sake of it—he was simply reflecting what the data suggests. 'In a society which shared out things fairly, everybody should be better off,' he said. 'But if you can replace lots of people by AIs, then the people who get replaced will be worse off.' In short, while AI may drive productivity gains, those benefits may not be shared equally across society.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton warns AI will take most jobs, only a few careers might survive
Geoffrey Hinton, one of the world's top minds in artificial intelligence, has shared a fresh warning about the future. Known as the Godfather of AI, Hinton believes that artificial intelligence will likely take away most jobs within the next 30 years. In a new episode of the Diary of a CEO podcast, he said that AI could soon surpass human workers in nearly every field. That means the job market could change forever, and millions may lose their jobs unless they adapt to new roles or skills. Physical labour jobs may be the safest Hinton said that while AI is improving fast, it still struggles with tasks that need physical skill. He believes that jobs like plumbing, domestic work, and similar hands-on roles may be safe for a longer time. Geoffrey Hinton needed financial security for his family, so at 65 he sold his neural net company to Google. His former student Ilya Sutskever left Google to co-found OpenAI, where he built ChatGPT. Now Hinton warns about AI risks while OpenAI leads the revolution he sparked. He joked that being a plumber might be one of the best choices right now because AI is not yet good at handling real-world tools or fixing things with its hands. So while many office jobs and digital work may be at risk, people working with their hands might still have a place in the future. One person could soon do the job of ten Hinton warned that relying on AI could lead to major job cuts. With smart systems handling large workloads, fewer people will be needed in many industries. He also questioned the common belief that AI will create new jobs to replace the ones it removes. According to him, the kind of work AI takes over might not leave enough room for people to stay employed unless they are highly skilled or in roles AI cannot perform. Hiring of youth is already dropping Hinton's warning matches what is already happening in the job market. A recent report from the venture firm SignalFire showed that tech giants like Google and Meta have been hiring fewer fresh graduates since 2023. This is ScaryIn 2015, he warned that AI would learn faster than 2018, he predicted it could develop its own 2022, he said we might not be able to stop it (AGI).Now Geoffrey Hinton the 'Godfather of AI' has left Google to speak are his 7… In 2024, only 7 percent of new hires at these companies were freshers, a big drop from the previous year. This is because AI is already doing many of the tasks that entry-level workers used to handle. AI may not replace everyone, but it will reshape everything Hinton said that in some jobs, humans might work alongside AI rather than be replaced by it. But this would still mean fewer people are needed to do the same amount of work. He added that many desk-based jobs, like those in customer service, law, and writing, could disappear. The warning is clear. People need to learn new skills and stay ready for change. AI is growing fast, and only those who adapt may find their place in the future.
Hans India
3 days ago
- Business
- Hans India
AI Godfather Geoffrey Hinton Warns: Plumbing Safer Than Coding in Automation Era
As artificial intelligence continues to revolutionize industries at an unprecedented pace, one of the field's founding fathers is offering a sobering perspective on the future of work. Geoffrey Hinton, the renowned British-Canadian computer scientist widely regarded as the 'Godfather of AI,' is urging people to rethink their career paths—recommending plumbing as a more secure option than coding. In a recent interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett, Hinton expressed deep concerns about job displacement driven by automation. 'A good bet would be to be a plumber,' he said, suggesting that physical labor is much harder to automate than tasks rooted in data and information processing. 'It's going to be a long time before [AI is] as good at physical manipulation as us.' While AI can swiftly process legal documents, generate marketing material, and handle countless other intellectual tasks, it falters when it comes to jobs requiring hands-on dexterity and adaptability. Trades like plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work often involve unpredictable environments and real-time decision-making—areas where machines still struggle to compete with humans. 'Fixing a leaking tap or rewiring a house demands judgment and skills that are hard to replicate with current AI capabilities,' Hinton explained. That's why he believes these trades are likely to remain resilient in the face of rapid technological change. In contrast, many traditional white-collar roles are already being reshaped by AI tools. Jobs once seen as stable—such as legal assistants or paralegals—are now being threatened by language models that can analyze contracts, predict case outcomes, and produce detailed summaries faster than a human ever could. Hinton, now 77, has played a crucial role in the development of neural networks—the technology that powers today's advanced AI systems. Yet he admits to struggling with the emotional implications of the revolution he helped spark. 'Intellectually, you can see the threat,' he said. 'But it's very hard to come to terms with it emotionally.' One of his deeper fears is the widening gap between those who benefit from AI and those who don't. 'In a society which shares things fairly, everybody should be better off,' he noted. 'But if you can replace lots of people by AIs, then the people who get replaced will be worse off." He even envisioned a scenario where AI could eventually control critical infrastructure like power stations with minimal human oversight. 'If AI ever decided to take over,' he speculated, 'it would need people for a while to run the power stations, until it designed better analogue machines. There are so many ways it could get rid of people, all of which would, of course, be very nasty.' Hinton's warnings aren't meant to incite panic, but rather to encourage society to reflect critically on how AI is shaping our economic and social structures. If current trends continue, the plumber—not the programmer—may emerge as one of the most future-proof professions.
India Today
3 days ago
- Business
- India Today
AI godfather Geoffrey Hinton says layoffs are now inevitable unless you have this job
In a world where artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping industries, one of its founding fathers is sounding the alarm about the future of work spaces. Geoffrey Hinton, the British-Canadian computer scientist famously dubbed the 'Godfather of AI,' is in the headlines again, and this time he is placing his bets on an unexpected career path: Plumbing. Having played a crucial role in developing the neural networks behind today's AI systems, Hinton said that he is worried about job security after automation has entered the a candid appearance on The Diary of a CEO podcast hosted by Steven Bartlett, Hinton painted a picture of a future that's equal parts fascinating and unsettling. His advice for those worried about job security? Skip the coding bootcamp and consider becoming a plumber. "A good bet would be to be a plumber," Hinton said, explaining that physical tasks remain one of the last strongholds against automation. 'It's going to be a long time before [AI is] as good at physical manipulation as us.'While AI can churn through legal contracts, predict case outcomes, and generate marketing copy in seconds, it can't crawl under a sink or fumble with a spanner. Plumbing, like many other trades, demands hands-on skill, quick thinking, and a willingness to get dirty, none of which comes naturally to a labour over office workadvertisement Jobs involving manual labour, think plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work, are proving much trickier to automate than office roles. Fixing a leaking tap or rewiring a house involves physical judgement in unpredictable environments, something AI still struggles with. That's why Hinton sees these roles as relatively safe, for now. In contrast, he warns that white-collar roles that involve data handling, or repetitive intellectual tasks are squarely in the AI firing line.'In a society which shared out things fairly, everybody should be better off,' Hinton remarked. 'But if you can replace lots of people by AIs, then the people who get replaced will be worse off," he like legal assistants and paralegals, once considered steady job roles, are already being reshaped by generative AI. Language models can now sift through reams of legal documents and even draft case summaries with startling speed and accuracy, challenging the need for human support in these futureNow at 77, Hinton isn't just analysing trends, he's wrestling with the emotional weight of his legacy. He admitted he's still grappling with the long-term consequences of his work, especially when thinking about the world his children and grandchildren will inherit. 'Intellectually, you can see the threat,' he said. 'But it's very hard to come to terms with it emotionally.'advertisementIn one particularly chilling moment, Hinton imagined a future where AI could run power plants and other infrastructure with minimal human input. 'If AI ever decided to take over,' he mused, 'it would need people for a while to run the power stations, until it designed better analogue machines There are so many ways it could get rid of people, all of which would, of course, be very nasty.' He wasn't predicting doom, but he insisted the risk is real enough to take the question of who gets replaced, Hinton worries about who benefits. As AI boosts productivity and slashes costs, the spoils may not be shared equally. Those who own the technology stand to gain the most, while displaced workers may struggle to find their not just a question of economics, it's a social reckoning in the making. And if we're not careful, Hinton warns, the technology meant to uplift humanity could end up deepening existing divides. So, while the robots may be coming for your spreadsheet, the humble tradesperson might just be sitting pretty. In the age of artificial intelligence, the safest job might just involve tightening a pipe, not typing on a keyboard.
