AI Pioneers Debate over Existential Risks of AI
Geoffrey Hinton, Andrew Ng, Yann LeCun, and Yoshua Bengio, known as the “godfathers” of AI, have engaged in a public debate over the existential risks of AI. While Hinton and Bengio express grave concerns about the risks, Ng and LeCun believe the concerns are exaggerated and part of a conspiracy theory by Big Tech firms.
This debate marks a significant departure from the united front of AI positivity displayed by these pioneers since the deep learning revolution in 2012. Even just a year ago, LeCun and Hinton pushed back against critics who claimed that deep learning had hit a wall.
Hinton, who left his role at Google in May to freely discuss AI risks, responded to Ng’s recent comments about AI risks being a Big Tech conspiracy. In a post on X, Hinton stated that his decision to leave Google was motivated by his concerns about the existential threat posed by AI.
Ng had previously claimed in an interview that Big Tech is lying about AI risks to suppress competition and promote strict regulations. Hinton’s response to this was highlighted in a tweet where he emphasized his decision to speak freely about the risks.
Notably, LeCun, the chief AI scientist at Meta, countered Ng’s remarks by affirming that at least one Big Tech company is openly sharing AI models and not lying about the risks. LeCun believes that some tech leaders genuinely fear the existential risk but thinks they exaggerate it.
The debate continued on social media, with LeCun accusing Hinton and Bengio of inadvertently supporting the restriction of AI research and development, which could hinder innovation. Hinton responded with a tweet suggesting that open-sourcing nuclear weapons to make them safer would yield similar outcomes.
Meanwhile, last week, Hinton and Bengio, along with other AI experts, proposed a framework for policy and governance to address the growing risks associated with AI. The paper recommended that companies and governments dedicate one-third of their AI budgets to AI safety.
In a recent opinion piece, Bengio expressed his growing apprehension about the major risks posed by advanced AI models like ChatGPT. He emphasized that these risks are a source of concern for him, especially when considering future generations.
Despite the heated debate, the quartet maintains their long-standing friendship. Ng shared a photo of himself with Hinton at a party celebrating Hinton’s retirement from Google, while LeCun posted a photo of himself with Hinton and Bengio, emphasizing that disagreements can coexist with friendship.
The discussion surrounding AI’s existential risks continues to evolve, reflecting the complexity and importance of the topic.
