Demis Hassabis, Co-founder of AI research lab DeepMind, discusses Google's answer to ChatGPT and AI's breakthroughs, but also its downsides, including potential human extinction. He explores his journey from chess player to AI creator and the transformative breakthroughs in driverless cars and protein structure prediction. The podcast also covers legal issues surrounding AI, DeepMind's unique innovation culture, and Google's use of AI in various products.
The potential downsides of AI, including the potential extinction of the human race, are a key concern discussed in the podcast.
DeepMind's focus on using AI to accelerate scientific discoveries, such as solving the protein-folding problem, has great potential for medical research and drug discovery.
Deep dives
The Importance of AI and the Global AI Summit
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a significant technological advancement, and the UK is hosting a global AI summit to discuss how to manage this technology. DeepMind, one of the most powerful AI companies now owned by Google, is based in London. The CEO, Demis Hissabes, highlights the potential downsides of AI, including the extinction of the human race. The summit aims to find ways to optimize AI's benefits while avoiding its negative consequences.
Demis Hissabes' Journey and Interest in AI
Demis Hissabes, a co-founder of DeepMind, developed his interest in artificial intelligence through chess and programming chess computers as a teenager. He combined his passion for AI with writing computer games, and his success led him to a PhD in neuroscience to better understand human intelligence. This diverse background eventually led to the creation of DeepMind, starting from a Sinclair computer bought in 1984.
The Exciting Applications of AI
DeepMind's focus is on developing AI to accelerate scientific discoveries. Their program, AlphaFold, has made significant progress in solving the protein-folding problem, benefiting medical research and drug discovery. Demis Hissabes also emphasizes the potential of AI in daily activities to enhance efficiency. However, he clarifies that emotional connections to AI products are limited, as they are primarily seen as tools rather than companions.
Safeguarding Against AI Risks
Addressing AI risks, Demis Hissabes underlines the importance of keeping human experts in the loop for safety-critical applications, such as in healthcare or the military. While DeepMind focuses on avoiding military applications of AI, Demis Hissabes acknowledges the concerns regarding AI proliferation and potential misuse. He calls for a societal debate on responsible use and believes there should always be a human decision-maker in critical scenarios.
As the UK gets ready to host a major global summit on the safety of artificial intelligence, Evan Davis speaks to one of the technology's leading global figures.
Demis Hassabis explains how he went from child chess champion to game developer to co-founder of AI research lab DeepMind, which was bought by Google in 2014.
He discusses Google's answer to ChatGPT and AI's ability to create breakthroughs in science, but also its downsides, including the potential extinction of the human race.
GUEST: Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind
PRODUCTION TEAM
Producers: Joel Moors and Simon Tulett
Editor: China Collins
Sound: Neil Churchill
Production Co-ordinator: Gemma Ashman
(Picture: Demis Hassabis, CEO of Google DeepMind)
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