John Hopfield, Geoffrey Hinton Win 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics

U.S. scientist John Hopfield and British-Canadian Geoffrey Hinton were awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics on Tuesday for their groundbreaking discoveries and inventions in machine learning, which have significantly contributed to the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

This emerging technology, celebrated for its potential to enhance scientific discovery and administrative efficiency, has also sparked concerns about the possibility of humanity being outsmarted by its own creations.

Hinton, often referred to as a godfather of AI, made headlines last year by resigning from Google to express his views on the risks associated with the technology he helped develop.

Speaking from a California hotel during a Nobel press conference, he remarked, “We have no experience of what it’s like to have things smarter than us.” He highlighted the benefits of AI, particularly in healthcare, but also cautioned about the risks of losing control over these advanced systems.

Hopfield, 91, a professor emeritus at Princeton University, is recognized for creating an associative memory capable of storing and reconstructing images and data patterns. He emphasized the complexity of AI systems, stating, “When you get systems that are rich enough in complexity and size, they can have properties which you can’t possibly intuit from the elementary particles you put in there.” He echoed Hinton’s sentiments, expressing unease about the unknown potential and limitations of AI.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences awarded the prize to Hopfield and Hinton for their use of “tools from physics to develop methods that are the foundation of today’s powerful machine learning,” which is “revolutionizing science, engineering, and daily life.”

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The prize comes with a cash award of 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.1 million), to be shared between the two laureates.

Hinton, now 76 and a professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, developed a method that autonomously identifies features in data, enabling tasks such as recognizing specific elements in images. Although he resigned from Google after realizing that computers could surpass human intelligence more rapidly than anticipated, Hinton praised the company’s responsible approach to AI.

During the Nobel press conference, Hinton acknowledged regretting aspects of his research but affirmed that he would make the same decisions given the same information. He expressed concern that AI systems might eventually surpass human intelligence and gain control.

Ellen Moons, chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, addressed the rapid development of machine learning, stating, “While machine learning has enormous benefits, its rapid development has also raised concerns about our future.” She stressed the collective responsibility of humanity to use this technology ethically for the greater good.

Hopfield, whose physicist parents inspired his career path, shared his enduring fascination with the question of how consciousness arises from machines.

The Nobel Prize in Physics is one of the most prestigious awards in the field, established by Alfred Nobel’s will in 1901, alongside awards for literature and peace. Notable past winners include scientific icons such as Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr.

This year’s physics award follows the recent Nobel Prize in Medicine, which was granted to U.S. scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA and its role in gene regulation, illuminating how cells specialize.