‘Godfather of AI’ says tech giants can’t profit from their astronomical investments unless human labor is replaced

Geoffrey Hinton, known as the "godfather of AI," believes that major technology companies cannot recoup their substantial investments in artificial intelligence without replacing human labor. He argues that beyond charging for chatbot services, the primary way to generate profit from these enormous expenditures is by substituting human workers with AI technologies. Hinton expressed skepticism that AI, unlike previous technological advancements, will create as many jobs as it destroys. He suggests that the major AI players are betting on widespread job replacement as the most lucrative path for their investments, pointing to significant increases in capital expenditures by AI hyperscalers and massive infrastructure deals announced by companies like OpenAI. He directly stated that these investments cannot be profitable without replacing human labor. This stance echoes his earlier comments where he predicted massive unemployment and increased corporate profits due to AI, attributing the outcome to the capitalist system. Evidence supporting Hinton's concern is emerging, with AI seemingly reducing job opportunities, particularly in content creation roles. Recent large-scale layoffs, such as those at Amazon, have been linked by some to efficiency gains anticipated from the extensive use of AI within the company, despite official reasons for the decisions. Despite his warnings about the economic impact on workers, Hinton acknowledged that AI also holds significant potential benefits in areas like healthcare and education, and in boosting productivity ac... download the app to read more