AI is More Human Than You Think: An Interview with Geoffrey Hinton
Geoffrey Hinton, a pivotal figure often hailed as one of the “godfathers” of artificial intelligence, has spent decades at the forefront of AI development. His contributions, particularly in the areas of deep learning and backpropagation, have fundamentally shaped the field.
In 2024, Hinton’s groundbreaking work earned him the Nobel Prize in physics, a testament to his profound impact on computer science. Ironically, his original aim was to understand the human brain. Now, despite his critical role in the creation of AI, Professor Hinton has expressed surprise at the technology’s rapid evolution. He is now convinced that artificial neural networks can think, reason, and understand the world in ways that could eventually surpass human capabilities.
Professor Hinton sat down with Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, to explore why he believes artificial intelligence is far more human-like than is often perceived.
