Striking confession from the pioneer of artificial intelligence: I wish it had never been developed

Nobel laureate Geoffrey Hinton, a pioneer of artificial intelligence, said humanity might have been better off had the technology never been developed, warning that AI could cause large-scale disruptions in electricity or financial systems within this year or next. Hinton, whose comments carry weight given his foundational role in the field, framed the risk as systemic rather than speculative, pointing to critical infrastructure and finance as the most exposed areas. The warning matters because it shifts the AI debate from long-run existential questions to near-term operational risk in sectors that underpin the economy. What to watch next is whether utilities and financial firms move faster to harden systems against AI-driven failures, and whether regulators treat the issue as urgent.