The 'Godfather of AI' says it will create 'massive' unemployment, make the rich richer, and rob people of their dignity (www.businessinsider.com)

Geoffrey Hinton, widely known as the "Godfather of AI" and a pioneer behind neural networks that power technologies like ChatGPT, has issued a stark warning about the societal impacts of AI. He predicts that AI-driven automation will lead to "massive unemployment," disproportionately enriching the wealthy while stripping most people of both jobs and dignity. Hinton emphasizes that the core issue lies not with AI technology itself but with the capitalist structures that enable exploitation—where AI is used primarily to replace human labor and boost profits for a few. While prominent tech leaders like OpenAI's Sam Altman and Elon Musk support universal basic income (UBI) as a buffer against AI-induced job loss, Hinton is skeptical that cash payments alone can address the deeper psychological and societal need for meaningful work. He argues that dignity and self-worth are fundamentally tied to employment, a dimension UBI fails to replace. Other voices in AI acknowledge UBI’s role but call for broader systemic changes to manage the transition. Despite his concerns, Hinton remains hopeful about AI’s potential to advance healthcare and education but cautions that society stands at a crossroads where AI can either uplift humanity or exacerbate inequality and joblessness on an unprecedented scale.