Two AI Pioneers Just Received The Nobel Prize In Physics

There’s clearly no ongoing tech-related news story bigger than artificial intelligence. Companies far and wide are introducing AI features, sparking both optimism and concern regarding how this powerful technology will impact our society.

“The Godfather of AI”

A pair of individuals who were instrumental in the development of what we know as AI are now officially Nobel Prize winners. Gregory Hinton, often referred to as the “godfather of AI,” and Princeton University professor John Hopfield received the award at a ceremony this week.

Both recipients of this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics have been laying the groundwork for so-called “neural networks” since the 1980s. This revolutionary spin on computer engineering allowed programs to react more like a human brain than a typical processor and, over time, “learn” new things on its own.

It’s worth noting that Hinton has at least partially denounced his contribution to technology, recently admitting that “a part of him … now regrets his life’s work” and quitting his job at Google to speak out against the potential dangers of AI.

Nevertheless, he was appreciative of the recognition, explaining that he had “no expectations” of receiving a Nobel Prize and was “extremely surprised” and “honored to be included.”

The Hopfield network

While Hinton might be the most familiar name, his work built on the achievements of his fellow Nobel recipient. Hopfield’s eponymous “Hopfield network,” essentially identifies and recreates patterns based on an array of almost imperceptible movements at the atomic level.

For better or worse, Hinton and Hopfield made it possible for today’s AI to flourish. For his part, Hinton predicted that “it’s going to be wonderful in many respects” but added that “we also have to worry about a number of possible bad consequences, particularly the threat of these things getting out of control.”

Chris Agee October 9th, 2024

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