AI Pioneers Win Nobel Prize In Physics

Two pioneers of artificial intelligence (AI) — John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton — were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking work on the foundations of machine learning, which is transforming modern life but also poses new risks, according to one of the winners.

Hinton, often referred to as the "Godfather of AI," holds dual citizenship in Canada and Britain and works at the University of Toronto. Hopfield, an American scientist, is based at Princeton University. I Illustration: Niklas Elmehed, The Nobel Prize

The report was covered by Daniel Niemann, Mike Corder, and Seth Borenstein for the Associated Press (AP).

Hinton, often referred to as the "Godfather of AI," holds dual citizenship in Canada and Britain and works at the University of Toronto. Hopfield, an American scientist, is based at Princeton University.

“These two gentlemen were really the pioneers,” said Mark Pearce, a member of the Nobel physics committee.

“They conducted the fundamental work, rooted in physical understanding, that has led to the revolution we see today in machine learning and AI.”

The artificial neural networks they developed are now widely applied in science, medicine, and daily technologies like facial recognition and language translation, explained Ellen Moons, another Nobel committee member from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

Hinton predicted that AI would have a “huge influence” on society, enhancing productivity and healthcare.

“It would be comparable with the Industrial Revolution,” he said during an open call with reporters and officials from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

“Instead of surpassing people in physical strength, it’s going to exceed people in intellectual ability. We have no experience of what it’s like to have things smarter than us. And it’s going to be wonderful in many respects,” Hinton added.

“But we also need to be cautious about several potential negative outcomes, particularly the risk of these systems becoming uncontrollable.”