Somashis Gupta, editor Epic Words shares this news of The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarding the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics to AI pioneers Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics to two titans of the machine learning world, British-Canadian Professor Geoffrey Hinton and American Professor John Hopfield. Their pioneering work in artificial intelligence (AI) has fundamentally transformed modern technology, from how we search the web to how we filter photos on social media. But while their achievements are undoubtedly groundbreaking, both laureates harbour rather pressing concerns about the future—namely, machines that might just outsmart us one day.
Professor Geoffrey Hinton, affectionately known as the “Godfather of AI” (one wonders if he receives offers he can’t refuse), admitted to being “flabbergasted” by the Nobel recognition. Speaking from a hotel in California, battling the irony of a patchy internet connection, Hinton remarked that the news had blindsided him to such an extent that he might have to cancel the rest of his day’s schedule. You know, the usual Nobel prize -winning dilemma: life throws a curveball, and suddenly the diary’s up in the air.
At 76, Hinton’s career has been defined by his role in developing neural networks—systems that allow machines to mimic human learning. His innovations laid the groundwork for much of today’s AI, including tools like ChatGPT. Yet, in typical British fashion, Hinton downplayed his own contributions, calling them “revolutionary” in the same way one might refer to a cup of tea as “quite nice.” He mused that AI’s impact could be on par with the Industrial Revolution, though this time it’s not our brawn being overtaken, but our brains.
However, it’s not all cups of tea and roses. Hinton, who stepped away from Google in 2023, has become a rather vocal critic of AI’s potential risks. He has raised alarms over machines surpassing human intelligence—a scenario that doesn’t seem entirely far-fetched in his view. “I worry that the overall consequences of this might be systems that are more intelligent than us,” Hinton stated, all the while acknowledging the irony that he still uses AI tools like ChatGPT4 himself, even if they’re not always the sharpest tool in the shed.
Meanwhile, across the pond, Professor John Hopfield, now 91, has been honoured for his earlier groundbreaking work. Hopfield’s neural networks, designed in the 1980s, cleverly harness physics to recreate patterns—a bit like trying to remember the name of that chap who was in that film, and your brain fills in the blanks. Hopfield’s networks function in much the same way, using incomplete data to draw logical conclusions. It’s a sort of intellectual ‘dot-to-dot’ for machines.
The Nobel committee rightly pointed out that the work of Hinton and Hopfield is now stitched into the fabric of modern life. From facial recognition software to translation tools, their contributions have reshaped our world. Yet, as Ellen Moons, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, highlighted, AI’s rapid growth is not without its challenges. The future, she warned, could be a mixed bag.
The pair will split a tidy 11 million Swedish kronor (£810,000 for those of us counting in proper money), which should cover a fair few research expenses. Still, Hinton’s concerns about AI are far from frivolous. Since his departure from Google, he’s been candid about the social risks posed by intelligent systems—chief among them the potential for AI to exacerbate inequality. In a recent interview, he suggested that governments might need to implement universal basic income to address the mass displacement of jobs by AI, though one imagines such an idea would go down like a lead balloon in some quarters.
As AI gallops ahead at an almost dizzying pace, it’s clear we owe a great deal to Professors Hinton and Hopfield. Whether we’re snapping the perfect selfie or asking chatbots life’s most burning questions, their work is omnipresent. But, as the “Godfather of AI” himself warns, we must tread carefully. The machines may not be in control just yet, but perhaps we ought to keep a watchful eye on them—before they start keeping a watchful eye on us.
So, here’s to Hinton and Hopfield: two trailblazing boffins who, much like their AI offspring, seem to be just one step ahead of the rest of us. Cheers to that!
