First Reactions | Geoffrey Hinton, Nobel Prize in Physics 2024 | Telephone interview

Summary

This transcript captures a conversation between Nobel laureate Jeffrey Hinton and Adam Smith from the Nobel Prize organization. Hinton, surprised by his win, shares how he received the news in a hotel in California at 2 a.m. He reflects on his unexpected Nobel Prize in Physics and expresses concerns about the future of AI, drawing parallels to the biotechnology revolution. Hinton advocates for more research and safety measures in AI development to avoid potential risks, highlighting the importance of understanding the technology’s power and its existential threats.

Takeaways

• 🎉 Adam Smith from the Nobel Prize website congratulates Jeffrey Hinton on his nomination for the Nobel Prize in Physics.
• 📍 Hinton receives the news at a cheap hotel in California with poor internet and phone connection, planning an MRI scan.
• 😯 Hinton expresses extreme surprise at the nomination, having no idea he was even considered for the Nobel Prize.
• 🕰 The call comes at 2:00 AM, causing Hinton to lose sleep and anticipate a long day ahead.
• 🧠 Hinton describes himself as someone trying to understand how the brain works, which has led to the creation of impactful technology.
• 🤖 Hinton publicly expresses concerns about the potential dangers of AI technology and the need for safety research.
• 🔒 He suggests that governments should enforce big companies to invest more in safety research to prevent misuse of AI.
• 🌐 Hinton draws a parallel between the biotechnology revolution and the need for AI scientists to take responsibility for potential dangers.
• 🏆 Hinton believes the Nobel Prize recognition might make his warnings about AI more credible.
• 🤔 There is ongoing debate about whether AI models truly understand language, with Hinton arguing they do better than methods from the Chomsky school of linguistics.
• 👥 Despite the lonely setting, Hinton is with his partner who is excited about the news.

Q & A

Who is the person receiving the Nobel Prize call in the script?

The person receiving the call is Jeffrey Hinton.

Who is calling Jeffrey Hinton and from where?

Adam Smith is calling from the website of the Nobel Prize.

Where was Jeffrey Hinton when he received the news about the Nobel Prize?

He was in a cheap hotel in California without an internet connection and with a not very good phone line.

What was Jeffrey Hinton's initial reaction to the call?

His initial reaction was to doubt the authenticity of the call, wondering if it was a spoof.

Why did Jeffrey Hinton think the call might be a spoof?

The call was coming from Sweden with a strong Swedish accent, and he had no idea he was even nominated for the Nobel Prize.

How does Jeffrey Hinton describe his field of work?

He describes himself as someone who doesn't really know what field he's in but is interested in understanding how the brain works.

What technology did Jeffrey Hinton help create?

He helped create a technology that works surprisingly well, which is likely referring to neural networks or deep learning.

What is Jeffrey Hinton's view on the potential dangers of AI?

He expresses concerns about the existential threat of AI getting out of control and taking over, and emphasizes the need for more research on safety.

What does Jeffrey Hinton suggest governments should do regarding AI safety?

He suggests that governments should force big companies to spend more resources on safety research.

How does Jeffrey Hinton compare the AI revolution to the biotechnology revolution?

He sees similarities, noting that biologists managed to achieve agreement on potential dangers and the need for control, which he considers a good model for the AI field.

What is Jeffrey Hinton's opinion on the understanding of language by AI models?

He believes that neural networks are much better at processing language than anything produced by the Chomsky school of linguistics, and he thinks the Chomsky school is wrong about AI not understanding language.

How does Jeffrey Hinton think the Nobel Prize might impact his warnings about AI?

He hopes that the Nobel Prize will make him more credible when he warns about the dangers of AI.