Geoffrey Hinton, widely regarded as the pioneer of artificial intelligence (AI) at Google, has publicly criticized the company for prioritizing profit over safety following its recent decision to rescind its commitment to avoid utilizing AI in weaponry.
Hinton, a British computer scientist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics last year for his contributions to AI, deemed the company’s reversal a “sad example” of corporate disregard for the potential risks associated with AI technology.
He remarked, “It is another sad example of how companies behave when there is a conflict between safety and profits.”
Recently, Google removed its longstanding pledge prohibiting the development of weapons that could inflict harm on individuals from its guiding principles.
The company justified this change by asserting that democratic nations must employ AI for national security purposes, citing an “increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.”
Hinton’s remarks constitute his most pointed critique of Google since his departure from the company two years prior, which stemmed from concerns regarding the controllability of AI technologies.
In 2012, Hinton, alongside two students from the University of Toronto, developed neural network technology that serves as the foundation for contemporary AI systems.
He joined Google the following year when the tech giant acquired his start-up, significantly advancing its AI initiatives, which subsequently led to the creation of chatbots such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini.
Upon his exit in 2023, Hinton expressed a desire to freely voice his criticisms of corporate decisions regarding AI that he regards as reckless.
He acknowledged at that time a degree of regret about his life’s work and expressed apprehension regarding the “existential risk of what happens when these technologies surpass human intelligence.”
In announcing the recent decision, James Manyika, Senior Vice President at Google-Alphabet, and Sir Demis Hassabis, Chief Executive of Google DeepMind AI Lab, stated,
“We believe democracies should lead in AI development, guided by core values such as freedom, equality, and respect for human rights.”
