AI ‘godfather’ takes aim at Altman, Musk and Zuckerberg over ‘dangerous’ tech dominance
The ‘godfather of AI’ has warned the UK’s growing dependence on a handful of American tech giants is “very dangerous”, taking aim at Silicon Valley’s most powerful executives and questioning whether they can be trusted to control the technology. Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize-winning scientist whose research helped lay the foundations for modern artificial intelligence, [...]
Renowned AI researcher Geoffrey Hinton has expressed serious concerns about the concentration of artificial intelligence development in the hands of a few American tech giants, warning that the current state of affairs is "very dangerous." Speaking to City AM, Hinton criticized the influence of Silicon Valley leaders Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg, questioning their ability to responsibly control the rapidly advancing technology.
He derided Altman, Musk, and Zuckerberg as "dangerous" individuals, drawing parallels to his mistrust of used car salesmen.
Hinton's criticism stems from OpenAI boss Sam Altman's recent boardroom coup in 2023, during which co-founder Ilya Sutskever helped oust Altman and subsequently Hinton himself. Hinton, who left Google in 2023 to advocate for AI safety more openly, also dismissed the notion of a "kill switch" to control AI in case it misbehaves, asserting that such systems would be adept at manipulating those tasked with shutting them down.
Hinton's assessment of the UK's position in the global AI race is equally gloomy. He dismissed the notion that Britain could play a significant role in the international AI governance landscape, stating that the country's efforts to position itself as a major player in AI are ultimately futile. The UK government, however, has been actively attempting to boost its AI industry by committing £560 million to a Sovereign AI Fund and other initiatives aimed at reducing the nation's reliance on Big Tech.
Despite these government efforts, UKAI argues that Britain risks becoming a "vassal state" dependent on foreign-controlled AI systems, exposing domestic businesses and public services to potential foreign policy decisions and commercial restrictions. Hinton's warnings about the competition-driven race for AI supremacy and the lack of attention paid to ensuring AI systems serve humanity's best interests underscore the urgent need for responsible AI development and robust regulatory frameworks.
Written by urgent.news from City AM's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
