"The godfather of AI" warns there's a 10 to 20% chance artificial intelligence could seize control

'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton sees 10-20% AI takeover risk.

: AI pioneer Geoffrey Hinton warns about the risks if AI continues developing without strict regulation and controls. He estimates a 10 to 20 percent chance of AI taking control from humans, equating AI development to raising a tiger cub that may become dangerous when mature. Despite advancements from Hinton's original ideas leading to tools like ChatGPT, he advocates for significant research dedicated to AI safety. His concerns extend to AI's potential misuse in military applications, spurred by companies prioritizing profit over safety.

Geoffrey Hinton, referred to as the 'Godfather of AI,' raises serious concerns about the potential dangers of artificial intelligence progressing without adequate regulation. In an April 2025 interview, he highlighted the likelihood of AI gaining control from humans as between 10 to 20 percent, comparing the unchecked growth of AI to nurturing a tiger cub that could prove a threat upon maturity. Hinton, a co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in physics, stresses, 'People haven't got it yet, people haven't understood what's coming.' He underscores the necessity for society to prepare for the rapidly advancing technology, drawing a parallel between the stark differences in AI's capabilities now compared to five years ago.

Hinton's contributions to AI, particularly in constructing the technical grounds for powerful models like ChatGPT, underscore his deep involvement in AI's development. Nevertheless, he has consistently cautioned against the potential ramifications of unregulated AI progress. In 2023, he exited his position at Google to freely express these concerns, fearing that his opinions might otherwise adversely affect the company. He voiced worries about tech companies emphasizing competition and acceleration in the tech race at the expense of safety and ethical considerations.

Hinton's apprehensions also tie into broader fears about AI's role in militarization. Tech companies' drive towards minimizing regulatory impacts to expedite market progress alarms Hinton, especially with AI technologies making their way into military systems. His stance aligns somewhat with Elon Musk, both predicting a 10 to 20 percent chance AI systems could dominate humans. Musk, known for fighting AI legally and backing the Grok chatbot, has long labeled AI as an existential threat, sharing Hinton's cautious outlook despite their differing approaches.

Hinton points out the unsatisfactory allocation of resources towards AI safety research, advocating for a standard that sees a third of computing power dedicated to developing safer AI systems. He continues to critique major corporations, particularly Google, for abandoning previous commitments to exclude their AI technologies from military applications, a move that violates their erstwhile ethical guidelines.

Although Hinton is not opposed to AI, hoping like Bill Gates that AI could revolutionize sectors like education, healthcare, and climate solutions, he's committed to ensuring this development does not occur at humanity's expense. Yann LeCun, another prominent figure in AI and a fellow 'Godfather', disagrees with Hinton, deeming fears of AI's threat to humanity 'preposterously ridiculous.' Such contrasting opinions define the ongoing debate over AI's potential, carried by industry and ethical concerns.

Sources: TechSpot, Geoffrey Hinton, Rob Thubron

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