Scientists warn of AI dangers but don’t agree on solutions

By MATT O’BRIEN
AP Technology Writer

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Computer scientists who helped build the foundations of today’s artificial intelligence technology are warning of its dangers, but that doesn’t mean they agree on what those dangers are or how to prevent them. After retiring from Google so he could speak more freely, so-called Godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton outlined his concerns Wednesday at a conference at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He voiced doubt about humanity’s survival if machines get smarter than people. Fellow AI pioneer Yoshua Bengio, co-winner with Hinton of the top computer science prize, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that he’s “pretty much aligned” with Hinton’s concerns but worries that to simply say “We’re doomed” is not going to help.