We have discussed this for years . DH was concerned back in the early 70’s as he started teaching at AU . an excellent article:

OverviewThe "Godfather of AI" refers to Geoffrey Hinton, a British-Canadian computer scientist renowned for his pioneering work on artificial neural networks, the core technology behind modern machine learning and deep learning, earning him widespread recognition and concerns about AI's future impact. He's known for developing methods that allowed AI to learn from data, making systems capable of complex tasks, though he now warns about potential mass unemployment and existential risks from advanced AI, a sentiment shared by others in the field like Yoshua Bengio. Key Contributions:

• Deep Learning & Neural Networks: Hinton's research established foundational concepts for training deep neural networks, enabling advancements in image recognition, speech, and natural language processing.
• Backpropagation: He played a crucial role in popularizing the backpropagation algorithm, a key method for training neural networks.

Concerns & Warnings:

• Job Displacement: Hinton expresses concern that AI could lead to massive job losses, particularly in white-collar sectors, potentially causing societal upheaval.
• Existential Risk: He has warned about the potential for superintelligence to surpass human control, posing dangers to humanity.
• Ethical Responsibility: He feels a personal responsibility and regrets focusing solely on AI's capabilities without fully addressing safety, advocating for more regulation.

Other "Godfathers":

• While Hinton is most famous, Yoshua Bengio and Yann LeCun are often mentioned alongside Hinton as the three pioneers of deep learning, collectively considered the "Godfathers of AI" for their foundational work.

Godfather of AI: They Keep Silencing Me But I'm Trying to Warn Them!Jun 16, 2025 — why do they call it the godfather of AI because there weren't many people who believed that we could model AI on the brain so that it learned to do ...YouTube · The Diary Of A CEOGeoffrey Hinton - WikipediaGeoffrey Hinton - Wikipedia. Geoffrey Hinton. Article. Geoffrey Everest Hinton (born 6 December 1947) is a British-Canadian computer scientist, cognitive scient...WikipediaWhy the Godfather of A.I. Fears What He’s Built - The New YorkerNov 13, 2023 — In this way, small changes create the possibility for profound transformations. * “We had a bonfire here,” Hinton said. We were on a ledge of rock ...The New Yorker'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton warns about the "dangerous" future ...Jan 20, 2026 — 'Godfather of AI' Geoffrey Hinton warns about the "dangerous" future of AI - YouTube. This content isn't available. Geoffrey Hinton, regarded as the...YouTubeThe 'godfather of AI' reveals the only way humanity can survive ... - CNNAug 13, 2025 — Do you want the world run by 200-year-old white men?” Asked if there's anything he would have done differently in his career if he knew how fast AI ...CNNThe "godfather of AI" says he's worried about "the end of people"MIT Media Lab‘Godfather of AI’ says the technology will create massive ...Jan 12, 2026 — Hinton said earlier healthcare is the one industry that will be safe from the potential jobs armageddon. “If you could make doctors five times as ef...Yahoo FinanceAI 'godfather' Yoshua Bengio feels 'lost' over life's workMay 31, 2023 — Bengio's concerns include: * **Personal toll** Bengio's concerns are taking a personal toll on him, as his life's work is no longer clear to him. Be...BBCThe godfather of AI predicts mass unemployment is on its ... - Fortune1 day ago — And while AI experts like Geoffrey Hinton, the British-Canadian computer scientist widely known as the “godfather of AI,” have warned the technology co...FortuneWill AI Destroy Every Job? - CEPA2 days ago — AI “Godfather” Geoffrey Hinton warns that his invention will create massive unemployment and send profits soaring — “that is the capitalist system.” W...Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA)

A friend of mine (she's 68) uses ChatGPT for all of her emotional queries and support and to help her make decisions. She swears by it and wants all of us to use it because it's so great. No thanks.

I was reading an article about AI and in some households with children it is becoming a third parent (instead of you know, grandma) or instead of their own instincts or calling on their own social network.

Thanks for sharing the article, Ks. Worrisome, indeed.

Another aspect is environmental. Our [bleep] governor has opened the gates wide for data centers. We already have a water shortage and unstable electric grid, so it’s pretty terrifying reading about the water and electric usage for these centers. They’re being built all over our state, including within city limits and close to residents. Look up Hood County, Texas, for one example. Granbury is a nice little lake destination within easy driving distance of D/FW and they are being overtaken by data centers and Bitcoin mining.

I am listening to an interesting and lengthy podcast about the development of AI. https://www.acquired.fm/episodes/google-the-ai-company

There is a brief comment about how users were getting emotionally involved with AI. The company dialed back and made the product less ”human” and more impersonal. The change was not well accepted among users. That totally puzzles me! Edited to make first sentence more cogent.

btw, Acquired is a interesting podcast. It is *very* in-depth, often running hours in length! (I think the one about Coca Cola was 4 hours long)

@bbstx I am not surprised . As @blfenton notes it is used as companionship. Teens and adults get responses that don’t come from their human interactions .

In the book Dune the use of the Mentats as human computers is an illustration. Purpose: Developed following a war against thinking machines (Butlerian Jihad) to fulfill the need for data processing and analysis without relying on prohibited Artificial Intelligence.

Bbstx, you need to put ”exceptionally long attention span” on the list of things you are good at.!

Don't even get me started. Glad I am on my way out!

This: " But research suggests that students using A.I. do not read as carefully when doing research and that they write with diminished accuracy and originality. Students do not even realize what they are missing." Critical thinking is shot. It was shot before AI but it's worse.

This from the Guardian :

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/ng-interactive/2026/feb/13/openai-chatbot-gpt4o-valentines-day

Thanks for the podcast rec, Bbstx! I'm going to look into that one.

I work with young adults and their communication skills (I'm in higher ed), and it's not all doom and gloom. They have an understanding of what AI is doing to this world. They use phrases like "brain rot" and realize how technology is impacting us. I "force" them to engage with one another, and it's really wonderful to see them comfortable with human interaction. They have a sense that it's important.

I watched an interview once of a therapist who was using chatbots for initial screening of patients. It seemed a bit off to me, but she explained that it was like an intake that allowed her to more efficiently understand that basic needs of her patients. I suppose with the increased demand for mental health services, this is a good thing.

And then there is the book by Eliezar Yudkowski and Nate Soares: If Anyone Builds It, Everyone Dies:Why Superhuman AI would Kill Us All.

Look it up on Amazon and read the reviews by people who know the field well. Absolutely terrifying. Here's one:
“Soares and Yudkowsky lay out, in plain and easy-to-follow terms, why our current path toward ever-more-powerful AIs is extremely dangerous.”―Emmett Shear, former interim CEO of OpenAI

And, Jilly, WV has also opened the state up for data centers. The GOP run legislator has passed laws that forbid any local government from passing any laws/regulations that would seek to mitigate the worst effects of data centers--noise/air/sound/light pollution, buffer zones, utility rate hikes, water use, etc.

I agree that parents should have a choice:

https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/parents-opt-kids-school-laptops-ask-pen-paper-rcna257158