The “Godfather of Artificial Intelligence,” Geoffrey Hinton, believes that the introduction of a universal basic income (UBI) could address the looming issue of job shortages caused by the rapid development of AI.
Geoffrey Hinton expressed his concerns to the BBC, stating he is “very concerned that a lot of simple jobs will be taken over by artificial intelligence.” Hinton revealed that he had advised officials from Downing Street on the matter, advocating for UBI as a potential solution.
Universal basic income refers to regular, equal payments made to all citizens of a country, regardless of their income, social status, age, or employment status, without any reciprocal obligations. While some U.S. cities and states have experimented with implementing guaranteed basic income for specific categories, a nationwide implementation remains a topic of debate.
Hinton argues that artificial intelligence will significantly improve productivity and increase revenue. However, he warns that without government intervention, this technological advancement will disproportionately benefit the wealthy while leaving the poor jobless.
In addition to his advocacy for UBI, Hinton has consistently called for a more cautious approach to AI development, warning that artificial intelligence could pose an “extinction threat” to humans within the next five to twenty years. This cautionary stance underscores his broader concerns about the unchecked progress of AI technologies.
It’s worth noting that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is also exploring the concept of universal basic income through his own experimental initiatives. Altman is expected to publish the results of his experiment soon and has recently proposed the idea of “universal core computing.” Instead of receiving cash payments, individuals would receive a share of future large language models (LLMs) like GPT-7.
Hinton’s recent decision to leave Google further highlights his apprehensions about the future impact of AI. He cited his growing concern over the potential harm AI could cause as the primary reason for his departure from the tech giant.
The debate over UBI and its potential to mitigate the socioeconomic disruptions caused by AI continues to gain traction. As AI technology advances at a rapid pace, policymakers and industry leaders will need to consider innovative solutions like UBI to ensure equitable benefits across society.
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