## Summary of Geoffrey Hinton's Interview on AI Risks and China Visit This report from the **South China Morning Post**, authored by **Josephine Ma**, features an exclusive interview with **Geoffrey Hinton**, widely recognized as the "godfather of AI." The interview, published on **September 1, 2025**, delves into Hinton's perspectives on the risks of artificial intelligence and his recent trip to China. ### Key Information and Findings: * **Geoffrey Hinton's Background and Departure from Google:** * Hinton is a British-Canadian computer scientist renowned for his revolutionary neural network models, inspired by the human brain, which underpin current machine learning technology. * He was awarded the **2024 Nobel Prize in Physics** alongside John J. Hopfield of Princeton University. * Hinton is a university professor emeritus at the **University of Toronto**. * He co-founded a company acquired by Google in **2013**. * He joined Google Brain in **2013** and later became a vice-president. * Hinton **left Google in 2023** to speak freely about the risks associated with AI. * **Recent Trip to China:** * Hinton's trip to Shanghai in **June** marked his **first visit to China**. * He spoke at the **World Artificial Intelligence Conference** in Shanghai. * His travel was previously hindered by a severe back condition, which has since improved, enabling his visit. * **Core Concerns and Future Outlook:** * The interview primarily focuses on Hinton's views regarding the **risks of AI**, particularly the potential for "superintelligence." * The title of the article, "Exclusive | The ‘godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton on when superintelligence will arrive," suggests a discussion about the timeline and implications of advanced AI. * The excerpt also hints at whether "superpowers can find common ground to rein in" AI, indicating a discussion on global governance and regulation of AI technology. ### News Metadata: * **Title:** Exclusive | The ‘godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton on when superintelligence will arrive * **Publisher:** South China Morning Post * **Author:** Josephine Ma * **Publication Date:** September 1, 2025 * **Topic:** Technology (specifically Artificial Intelligence) * **Keywords:** World Artificial Intelligence Conference, AGI, ASI, artificial intelligence, Google Brain, Nobel Prize, China, Google, Artificial Superintelligence (ASI), Geoffrey Hinton, AI safety, AI. This summary highlights Geoffrey Hinton's significant contributions to AI, his recent decision to leave Google to voice concerns about AI's risks, and his inaugural visit to China where he participated in a major AI conference. The interview appears to be a platform for him to share his expert opinions on the future of AI and its potential societal impacts.
Exclusive | The ‘godfather of AI’ Geoffrey Hinton on when superintelligence will arrive
Read original at South China Morning Post →Geoffrey Hinton is a British-Canadian computer scientist often called the “godfather of AI” because of his revolutionary neural network models inspired by the structure of the human brain. His research brought about a paradigm shift that enabled today’s machine learning technology. He won the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics with John J.
Hopfield of Princeton University.Hinton holds the title of university professor emeritus at the University of Toronto.A company he co-founded with two graduate students was acquired by Google in 2013. He joined Google Brain, the company’s AI research team, the same year and was eventually named a vice-president.
Hinton left Google in 2023 because he wanted to speak freely about the risks of AI.In June, he travelled to China and spoke at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai.This interview first appeared in SCMP Plus. For other interviews in the Open Questions series, click here.Was the trip to Shanghai your first visit to China?
What are your takeaways from the trip?It was my first trip to China. I’ve had a very bad back, so it’s been very hard to travel for a long time, but now it’s improved. That’s why I didn’t come to China sooner.
