'Plumbers will survive automation better than office workers', says godfather of AI
Geoffrey Hinton, also known as 'Godfather of AI,' said AI will widen the gap between the rich and the poor. According to him, several workers will be pushed out of jobs while only a small group, the owners and promoters will reap the benefit.
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British-Canadian computer scientist Geoffrey Hinton, touted to be one of the creators of modern artificial intelligence, has raised an alarming bell about the future of the technology.
Recently, the 'Godfather of AI' discussed the risks of AI and how it would shape the future of work in an interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Barlett.
According to Hinton, AI is less likely to impact jobs that rely on hands-on skills. Citing examples of plumbing jobs, Hinton said that such kinds of jobs are hard to automate as they involve manual skilling, real-world judgment, and problem-solving in unpredictable settings.
"These aren't tasks AI systems are built to handle," he said in the interview.
Hinton said 'Machines are good at thinking, not at fixing pipes'.
"It's going to be a long time before (AI is) as good at physical manipulation as us," Hinton said.
Hinton added that while machines can handle large amounts of data and even draft documents, they cannot climb ladders and tighten valves.
Hinton affirmed plumbing, electrical work, and carpentry have an edge over office jobs in the AI era.
However, Hinton said he is worried about the future of his children and grandchildren as he anticipated that AI could control power plants and critical infrastructure.
"There are so many ways these systems (power infrastructure) would become fully independent, and may not require people at all," Hinton said.
Further, Hinton also said that AI will widen the gap between the rich and the poor. According to him, several workers will be pushed out of jobs while only a small group, the owners and promoters will reap the benefit.
He acknowledged that AI will create more job options, but the pace of change will be so rapid for many to chase it.
"In a society which shared out things fairly, everybody should be better off," he added, "But if you can replace lots of people by AIs, then the people who get replaced will be worse off".
