DailyPost 2943
2024 NOBELS – AI – FUTURE OF HUMANITY
The Nobel Prizes have been able to convincingly underline that Artificial Intelligence, AI, is the future of mankind. We have been exhilarated by the first fruits of AI coming our way, the complexities of which no one seems to be bothered about. Easy life with no worthwhile physical effort and even lesser mental effort seems to be the cherished dream. We are in the midst of the biggest disruption of all times. The biggest digital thinker of our times, Yuval Noah Harari is of the view that if the future of humanity is decided in your absence, because you were too busy feeding and clothing your kids – “you and they will not be exempt from its consequences”.
Can you afford to miss the most important conversion of our times? No way. So far it’s been the trend. This is the fast emerging story of Artificial Intelligence. The Godfather of AI, winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize Geoffery Hinton said ‘AI will eventually take control,’ while sharing his fears about the future AI and that of the world. As it stands today governments, regulatory agencies, international bodies, global and influential think tanks are busy churning out free content of LLMs. Ignorance is bliss and that is the state they are in. Hinton in no unclear terms said, he is concerned about artificial intelligence, AI, taking control of our lives.
Hinton with John J Hopfield was awarded this year’s Nobel Prize in Physics for “foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks.” The prize has gone to them for laying the foundations for modern AI systems. AI is a general purpose technology and in all probability the most impact making given the present fast moving trajectory. Hinton feels the world needs to worry about AI going out of control. It is a Black Box technology in simple terms, as it stands today, with no regulation, law, audit or anything else coming its way. It would be a tech free for all with AI going amok.
The worry Hinton says is about a number of bad consequences, of which the main is the threat of these things getting out of control. With the Industrial Revolution machines exceeded humans in terms of physical strength and now with AI they would surpass humans in terms of intellectual capabilities. What does this mean? It would put humans in uncharted territory. Hinton, puts it very succinctly, “we have no experience of what it’s to have things smarter than us.” He added, “maybe what is going on in these systems is actually a lot better than what is going on in the brain…” The dangers are real. Is anyone listening.
AI HAS CREATED A TECHNOLOGY PRECIPICE, HOW DO WE MANOEUVRE IT?
Sanjay Sahay
Have a nice evening.