AI “godfather” says the government will soon need a universal basic income

by Choo ChooMay 21, 2024May 20, 20240

The computer scientist regarded as the “godfather of artificial intelligence” says the government will have to establish a universal basic income to address AI’s impact on inequality.

Professor Geoffrey Hinton told BBC Newsnight that a benefits reform giving fixed amounts of cash to every citizen would be needed because he was “apprehensive about AI taking lots of mundane jobs”.

“I was consulted by people in Downing Street, and I advised them that universal basic income was a good idea,” he said.

He said while he felt AI would increase productivity and wealth, the money would go to the rich “and not the people whose jobs get lost and that’s going to be very bad for society”.

Professor Hinton is the pioneer of neural networks, which form the theoretical basis of the current explosion in artificial intelligence.

He worked at Google until last year, but he left the tech giant to speak more freely about the dangers of unregulated AI.

The concept of a universal basic income amounts to the government paying everyone a set salary regardless of their means.

Critics say it would be highly costly and divert funding away from public services while not necessarily helping to alleviate poverty.

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