Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "Godfather of AI," won a Nobel Prize in Physics for his work in artificial intelligence.
What Happened: Hinton and Princeton professor John Hopfield are the joint winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2024 thanks to their early work in AI and deep learning dating back to the 1970s and 1980s.
The awards, announced by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, say both Hinton and Hopfield helped with "foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learnings with artificial neural networks," as reported by TechCrunch.
Hinton, currently a professor at the University of Toronto, developed an algorithm that helps neural networks learn from their mistakes. His work helped transform how today's AI models are trained to operate.
The recognition of Hinton and Hopfield as Nobel Prize winners could strengthen AI’s position as a growth sector moving forward.
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As winners of the Nobel Prize, Hinton and Hopfield will be referred to as "laureates" and receive gold medals, diplomas, and split a cash prize of around $1 million.
"The laureates' work has already been of the greatest benefit," Nobel Committee for Physics chair Ellen Moons said. "In physics, we use artificial neural networks in a vast range of areas, such as developing new materials with specific properties."
Why It's Important: With his early learnings and development in the space, Hinton is often considered one of the top voices in AI and deep learning.
Hinton's company DNNresearch was acquired by Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOG)(NASDAQ:GOOGL) in 2013. After joining Google as part of the acquisition, Hinton quit the technology giant last year.
Hinton publicly voices concerns about the inherent risks of AI technology and the spreading of misinformation.
Hopfield developed the Hopfield network, which showed how neural networks can store patterns. Like Hinton, Hopfield's early work in the AI space is considered groundbreaking.
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