Geoffrey Hinton, a globally recognized expert in artificial intelligence (AI) known as the "Godfather of AI," recently met with members of the United Kingdom government at Downing Street. During this consultation, Hinton advised policymakers to contemplate the implementation of a universal basic income (UBI) as a proactive measure to address the looming risk of job displacement.

Formerly associated with Google, where he contributed to the development of advanced AI capabilities for neural networks powering prominent generative AI systems like Google's Gemini and OpenAI's ChatGPT, Hinton emphasized that the AI revolution is likely to disproportionately benefit the affluent. He expressed concerns that individuals in manual labor and automatable roles could face income insecurity, posing potential societal challenges. In a recent interview with the BBC, Hinton stressed the importance of UBI in mitigating these economic disruptions, citing his discussions with officials at Downing Street where he advocated for the adoption of universal basic income.

Hinton's advocacy for UBI aligns with the views of other influential figures in the AI realm. Notable personalities like Sam Altman, a co-founder of OpenAI and a protégé of Hinton, have also championed the necessity of UBI to counterbalance the repercussions of automation on the workforce. Altman, known for his leadership at OpenAI and his endorsement of UBI, is involved in Worldcoin, a venture focused on offering universal basic income through a cryptocurrency token distributed at no cost to participants who verify their identity through a retinal scan.

Beyond addressing the economic ramifications of automation through UBI, both Hinton and Altman have raised concerns about the existential risks posed by AI. Hinton's departure from Google was partly driven by his desire to openly discuss the potential impacts of AI on humanity, while Altman, alongside Elon Musk and others, co-founded OpenAI with a mission to ensure the responsible development of advanced AI technologies for the betterment of society.

In a recent interview with the BBC, Hinton warned that the timeline for addressing the challenges posed by AI may be limited, estimating a timeframe of five to twenty years before the potential threat of AI dominance becomes a pressing reality. This sense of urgency underscores the importance of proactive measures such as UBI to navigate the evolving landscape of AI and its implications for society.