Geoffrey Hinton, a British computer scientist who has spent his life working on artificial neural networks, earning him recognition as one of the fathers of artificial intelligence (AI), has claimed that the technology could wipe out humanity.
As explained in an article on the Cinemascomics website, it is interesting to know Geoffrey Hinton's opinion on the possibility of AI attacking humans, especially given his experience in this field.
In a recent interview with CBS, he explained, “Until recently, I thought it would be 20 to 50 years before we had a general-purpose AI. Today, I think it will take 20 years or less” .
“It may be that someday soon computers will be able not only to diagnose their own problems, but also to remedy them on their own. That's a problem, isn't it? We need to think seriously about how to control that.”
Asked whether artificial intelligence could wipe out humanity, Geoffrey Hinton cautiously replied, “It's not inconceivable, that's all I'll say. I think it's entirely reasonable for people to be concerned about these issues now, even if it's not going to happen in the next year or two. People should think about these issues.
Three ways AI could wipe out humanity
The report adds three ways AI could wipe out humanity:
- Uncontrolled improvement: The fact that an AI system could improve uncontrollably would lead to a situation known as an intelligence explosion. If an AI system became much more intelligent than its creators, it could pose a threat to human existence.
- Autonomous weapons: autonomous AI-powered weapons could be developed that are capable of making decisions without human supervision.
- Cyberattacks: AI could also be used by malicious actors to conduct cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, such as power grids, transportation systems, and financial networks.

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