The Man Who Unleashed AI Fears What He's Created

Meet John Hopfield, a 91-year-old physicist who won the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work on artificial intelligence (AI). He's not exactly thrilled with how AI is developing these days. Speaking from Britain, Hopfield admitted that recent AI advances have him feeling "very unnerving," like when he watched biotechnology and nuclear physics rise. He's worried about AI's lack of control and understanding. It's like trying to control a powerful tool you don't fully grasp. Hopfield's work on the "Hopfield network" laid the foundation for AI's memory storage and retrieval. But he thinks AI's inner workings remain a mystery. He and his colleague, Geoffrey Hinton, want scientists to dive deeper into understanding AI. Hinton, often called the "Godfather of AI," fears AI might take over if it becomes smarter than humans. They both warn that AI could spiral out of control, like the fictional "ice-nine" that froze the world's oceans in a novel. These experts aren't just worried; they're calling for action. Hopfield thinks more research and government pressure on big companies could help prevent AI catastrophes. He wants young researchers to focus on AI safety. It's a call to arms against an intelligence revolution that might get too intelligent.