Geoffrey Hinton, often described as the Godfather of AI, told CNN’s Jake Tapper in a State of the Union interview that Donald Trump’s push to keep AI development under little to no regulation is a dangerous bet. The remarks were reported by The Daily Beast, which notes that Hinton urges cautious, principled AI governance as the stakes of the AI race rise.
Hinton argued for concrete regulation: big companies releasing chatbots should be required to undergo significant testing to ensure they do not produce harmful outcomes, such as encouraging self-harm. He also explained why tech leaders resist regulation, suggesting that money and a belief in potential good motivate them, implying a trade-off between profits and safety.
The remarks underscore concerns about unregulated AI and the influence of the tech industry on policy, highlighting the need for testing, oversight, and thoughtful policy to prevent harm while allowing beneficial innovation.