US scientist John Hopfield and British-Canadian Geoffrey Hinton have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for their foundational contributions to machine learning, Reuters reports.
Hopfield developed an associative memory system that can store images and other types of patterns in data, while Hinton created methods for autonomous data analysis and image recognition. Hinton, a leading figure in artificial intelligence, left Google in 2023 to highlight the potential dangers of AI, acknowledging that machines could surpass human intelligence sooner than anticipated.
The Nobel Committee praised their work for revolutionizing science, engineering, and daily life but the importance of using machine learning responsibly. The prize, worth $1.1 million, is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
