The renowned “Godfather of Artificial Intelligence,” Geoffrey Hinton, suggests that implementing a universal basic income (UBI) could mitigate potential job shortages resulting from AI advancements.
Geoffrey Hinton expressed his concerns to the BBC regarding the possible displacement of simple jobs by artificial intelligence. He disclosed advising officials from Downing Street on the merits of UBI, emphasizing its importance in addressing such societal shifts.
Universal basic income entails providing regular, uniform payments to all citizens irrespective of their income, social status, age, or employment status, without requiring reciprocating obligations. While certain US cities and states have experimented with variations of guaranteed basic income, Hinton advocates for broader implementation.
Hinton argues that while AI advancements promise enhanced productivity and increased revenue, without government intervention, they could exacerbate wealth inequality and lead to widespread job displacement among lower-income groups.
Highlighting the urgency of his proposal, Hinton warns that unchecked AI development could pose an “extinction threat” to humanity within the next five to 20 years.
Notably, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is conducting his own UBI experiment, the results of which he plans to publish soon. Altman has also proposed the concept of “universal core computing,” suggesting that instead of cash, individuals could receive a stake in future advanced language models like GPT-7.
Prior to this advocacy, Geoffrey Hinton announced his departure from Google, citing concerns over the potential harmful impact of AI.
For more details, you can read the full report on Business Insider.