Why the Godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton left Google: “If you work for a big company, you don’t …” |
Geoffrey Hinton, who’s known as the “Godfather of AI,” has revealed the internal pressures that influenced his decision to leave Google after more than a decade, citing self-censorship concerns that prevented him from speaking freely about artificial intelligence dangers.Speaking on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast that aired June 16, Hinton explained how corporate loyalty created an unspoken barrier to discussing AI risks. “If you work for a big company, you don’t feel right saying things that will damage the big company,” he said, describing the psychological constraint he faced while employed at Google.
Google never silenced Geoffrey Hinton, but self-censorship kicked in
The neural network pioneer, who quit Google in 2023, emphasized that the tech giant never directly pressured him to remain silent about AI safety issues. “Google encouraged me to stay and work on AI safety, and said I could do whatever I liked on AI safety,” Hinton noted. However, he admitted that employees naturally “censor yourself” when working for major corporations.Hinton’s departure came as he grew increasingly concerned about AI’s potential dangers, including the spread of misinformation, job displacement, and what he termed “existential risk” from digital intelligence surpassing human capabilities. His concerns intensified after Microsoft integrated ChatGPT into its search engine, prompting Google to accelerate its own AI chatbot development.
“We would never accept this mindset in any other field”
The 75-year-old researcher’s warnings align with broader industry concerns about AI safety protocols. Hinton highlighted the particular challenge of AI-generated content, noting that people “will not be able to discern what is true any more” as realistic fake photos, videos, and text flood the internet.His departure underscores a growing tension in the tech industry between rapid AI advancement and safety considerations. While praising Google’s overall responsible behavior, Hinton’s exit reflects the complex dynamics facing AI researchers who must balance corporate interests with public safety concerns in an increasingly competitive landscape.
