• News
    • Tech News
    • AI
  • Gadgets
    • Apple
    • iPhone
  • Gaming
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
  • Science
    • News
    • Space
  • Streaming
    • Netflix
  • Vehicles
    • Car News
  • Social Media
    • WhatsApp
    • YouTube
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
TikTok
Snapchat
WhatsApp
Submit Your Content
Stephen Hawking's last Reddit post was an ominous warning about the future of society

Home> News

Published 12:32 11 Jul 2024 GMT+1

Stephen Hawking's last Reddit post was an ominous warning about the future of society

AI could propel us forward or be our downfall.

Rebekah Jordan

Rebekah Jordan

Stephen Hawking was a world-class physicist and best-selling author.

His observations and research blew the minds of many.

The Cambridge professor was also a vocal science communicator for social and political issues, including artificial intelligence and climate change.

Advert

In his last-ever Reddit post from 2016, he issued an ominous warning about the future of humanity and capitalism.

He talked about how technological automation might either benefit humanity or ultimately cause inequality to skyrocket and make life harder for the majority.

'If machines produce everything we need, the outcome will depend on how things are distributed,' Hawking wrote in an AMA ('Ask Me Anything') session.


Advert



He continued: 'Everyone can enjoy a life of luxurious leisure if the machine-produced wealth is shared, or most people can end up miserably poor if the machine-owners successfully lobby against wealth redistribution.

Advert

'So far, the trend seems to be toward the second option, with technology driving ever-increasing inequality.'

In the same AMA thread, Hawking discussed the possibility of AI exceeding human intelligence and what that means for us.

'It's clearly possible for a something to acquire higher intelligence than its ancestors: we evolved to be smarter than our ape-like ancestors, and Einstein was smarter than his parents,' he exemplified.

'The line you ask about is where an AI becomes better than humans at AI design, so that it can recursively improve itself without human help. If this happens, we may face an intelligence explosion that ultimately results in machines whose intelligence exceeds ours by more than ours exceeds that of snails.'

Advert

Bryan Bedder/Stringer / Getty
Bryan Bedder/Stringer / Getty

It's a pretty wild observation!

Hawking also made the point that the real risk with AI is 'competence' rather than malice.

He put it: 'A superintelligent AI will be extremely good at accomplishing its goals, and if those goals aren’t aligned with ours, we’re in trouble.'

Advert

People have been revisiting the forum to remember what a legendary man we lost six years ago.

'This world has just lost a great man and a great mind. What he gave humanity we may yet to even truly understand,' the top comment read.

'The sad thing is that we have the ability to change the world in our own vision but the most powerful have driven wedges between so many different demographics that no one can find a common direction. We CAN choose a different future but I think we are too lazy,' another wrote.

Hawking had previously talked about his thoughts on artificial intelligence in a 2014 BBC interview.

Featured Image Credit: Bryan Bedder/Stringer / Justin Sullivan/Staff / Getty
Science
AI

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

13 hours ago
14 hours ago
15 hours ago
  • 13 hours ago

    Elon Musk issues disturbing warning of 'tsunami of AI' coming to humanity

    One expert warns there is a 20% chance that AI could lead to human extinction

    News
  • 14 hours ago

    Fake dentist who treated 'dozens' of patients arrested after worrying Google searches were exposed

    Fake it till you make it, or not in this case

    Science
  • 14 hours ago

    Every citizen who would be safe from draft if US go to war follow WW3 warning from Russian general

    People might be drafted to fight in a potential third World War

    News
  • 15 hours ago

    Shocking cost of riding in self-driving ‘Robotaxi' as Elon Musk finally launches controversial vehicle

    Many have been left stunned by the price

    News
  • Stephen Hawking's predictions for the end of the world are terrifying
  • Newly elected Pope issues chilling warning about AI and how it threatens the future of humanity
  • Terrifying AI prison Cognify where 'fake memories would be implanted in offenders' brains' could be 'the future'
  • Billions of people warned about consuming crops linked to cancer