Sideways 25 Years of the 21st Century: 5. The Age of Artificial Intelligence
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Jan 10, 2025 
Geoffrey Hinton, known as the godfather of AI, shares insights on the evolution of artificial intelligence and its potential to surpass human intelligence. He warns about the dangers of autonomous weapons on future battlefields. Historian Margaret MacMillan enriches the discussion by highlighting AI's societal impacts while calling for ethical governance in navigating its rapid advancements. Together, they contemplate the transformative benefits and existential risks of this technology, urging timely measures for safety and regulation.
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AI vs. Human Intelligence
- Modern AI, based on neural networks, learns more like humans than old-fashioned AI.
- AI understands questions similarly to humans, using learned word meanings to provide answers.
AI's Existential Risk
- AI's impressive capabilities also present risks, similar to stories like Prometheus and Frankenstein.
- Geoffrey Hinton left Google to discuss these risks, particularly as machines surpass human intelligence.
Immediate vs. Existential AI Threats
- Bad actors using AI pose immediate risks like cyberattacks, new viruses, and job displacement.
- The existential threat is machines autonomously taking over, deciding they can do a better job than humans.