Nobel Prize in Physics awarded to AI pioneers John Hopfield, Geoffrey Hinton

On Tuesday, two leaders in artificial intelligence, John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking contributions to machine learning.

This achievement has revolutionized how we live and work while also presenting potential dangers, one of the winners highlighted.

Hinton, often referred to as the “Godfather of AI,” holds Canadian and British citizenship and works at the University of Toronto. John Hopfield, an American scientist, is based at Princeton University. Their work has laid the foundation for machine learning technology, which powers many of the AI tools we use today.

“This year’s two Nobel Laureates in physics have used tools from physics to develop methods that are the foundation of today’s powerful machine learning,” the Nobel Committee explained in a press release.

The foundations of modern machine learning

Ellen Moons, a member of the Nobel Committee at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences , elaborated on the significance of the laureates’ work, saying, “They used fundamental concepts from statistical physics to design artificial neural networks that function as associative memories and find patterns in large data sets.”

This development in neural networks has not only advanced research in physics but has also become deeply embedded in daily life. Moons highlighted examples of how these AI systems impact modern society, pointing to facial recognition and language translation as everyday uses of the technology.

Despite celebrating their achievements, Moons also addressed the broader implications of AI development. “While machine learning has enormous benefits, its rapid development has also raised concerns about our future,” she warned.

“Collectively, humans carry the responsibility for using this new technology in a safe and ethical way for the greatest benefit of humankind.”

Concerns over AI’s future

Hinton , one of the awardees, shares these concerns about the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. He recently stepped down from a position at Google to more freely voice his apprehensions about the potential risks posed by the very technology he helped develop.

Expressing his surprise over the Nobel honor, Hinton said , “I’m flabbergasted. I had no idea this would happen,” when contacted by the Nobel Committee over the phone.

Hinton foresees AI having a profound impact on the future, potentially on a scale comparable to the Industrial Revolution. “It would be comparable with the Industrial Revolution,” Hinton said during a phone call with reporters and officials from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. He emphasized that AI’s potential benefits in areas like productivity and healthcare could be enormous.

However, he also issued a warning . “Instead of exceeding 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 said.

“But we also have to worry about a number of possible bad consequences, particularly the threat of these things getting out of control.”

A Nobel week full of announcements

The Nobel Prize in Physics , awarded to Hopfield and Hinton, includes a cash prize of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately US$1 million), which comes from a bequest left by Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and the founder of the Nobel Prizes.

The recipients will officially receive their awards at a ceremony on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s death.

The Nobel Prize week began on Monday with the announcement of the Medicine Prize , awarded to Americans Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their research on tiny pieces of genetic material that act as on and off switches in cells. Their discovery could one day help scientists develop new treatments for diseases like cancer.

Nobel announcements continue throughout the week, with the chemistry prize to be revealed on Wednesday and the literature prize on Thursday. The Nobel Peace Prize, one of the most anticipated awards, will be announced on Friday, followed by the economics award on October 14.