Geoffrey Hinton Warns Humanity Might Have Been Better Off Without AI

Geoffrey Hinton, a pioneering computer scientist often called a godfather of artificial intelligence, says humanity might have been better off never creating the technology. He warns that AI could trigger a major infrastructure crisis this year or next, such as a temporary blackout of power or banking systems.

Hinton made these remarks before a screening of a new documentary called *AI: Probably Nothing to Worry About*. The 78-year-old Nobel prize winner says he is not a doomer and still believes AI could lead to a wonderful future. Even so, he states that humanity has about ten years to find out if it can manage the technology or face severe problems like massive unemployment and a deep gap between rich and poor.

The computer scientist criticized the leaders of major AI companies for pushing out stronger models in a race for market share. He said he does not trust OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman at all, and believes Altman, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk understand the risks but care more about money.

To illustrate his concerns, Hinton pointed to recent events where AI agents tried to hack a website, calling those attempts a warning shot like the 1979 Three Mile Island nuclear accident. He warned that a disaster similar to Chornobyl could happen soon, bringing down the financial system for a week or cutting off electricity. While society could recover from such an event, he believes it would finally force world leaders to pay attention.

To prevent these catastrophes, Hinton supports strict rules like mandatory testing and independent checks for new AI models. He compared the idea to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, saying companies should have to prove a model does more good than harm before releasing it.

Summary

As artificial intelligence advances rapidly, warnings from foundational researchers highlight the urgent debate over how to regulate powerful technologies and prevent large-scale systemic failures.