In recent remarks, Geoffrey Hinton—widely regarded as the “godfather of AI”—issued a sharp warning about the future of artificial intelligence, emphasising that the major threat lies not in the technology itself, but in how it’s used within prevailing economic systems. He argued that AI will generate enormous profits for a small number of firms while displacing large swathes of workers, deepening inequality in the process.
Hinton specifically noted that the structure of the capitalist system will enable the rich to deploy AI to replace labour and capture value, thereby making “a few people much richer and most people poorer.” He stressed that this outcome isn’t the fault of the algorithms, but of economic incentives that prioritise efficiency and profit over human welfare.
While acknowledging the potential benefits of AI—such as advances in healthcare and productivity—Hinton expressed concern that without proper governance, the technology could lead to mass unemployment and social destabilisation. He asserted that the real challenge is societal: how we distribute the gains from AI, how we retrain and support displaced workers, and how we ensure meaningful human roles remain.
In conclusion, Hinton called for urgent policy responses, including regulation, workforce-retraining programmes, and perhaps even new economic models to ensure AI-generated wealth does not concentrate in the hands of a few. He warned that relying solely on market forces risks leaving most people worse off, even as technological capability soars.
