Hinton Criticizes Trump’s AI Terminology and Safety Stance

Geoffrey Hinton criticized President Donald Trump’s understanding of artificial intelligence and opposition to government safeguards in an interview published October 13, warning that increasingly capable AI systems pose serious risks. Hinton, a computer scientist whose research helped lay the groundwork for modern AI, also argued that technology companies should not be allowed to regulate themselves. Hinton objected to Trump’s use of “superintelligence” as a substitute for artificial intelligence. He said the term has a specific meaning: systems that are more intelligent than people. Renaming existing AI, Hinton argued, does not make it superintelligent. He described Trump as a “corrupt, senile felon,” and said the president’s terminology showed he understood almost nothing about AI. Hinton also challenged the idea that the industry can police itself. He compared it to letting tobacco, oil or asbestos companies set their own rules, and questioned whether tobacco companies should have controlled the design of health warnings. His remarks came amid debate over the role of government safeguards in AI development.