At the age of 17, while most teenagers were busy playing video games, Britain’s recent Nobel Prize winner was focused on developing games.
Sir Demis Hassabis, who shared the Chemistry Prize, made a name for himself in the tech world by co-designing the popular game Theme Park in 1994.
Born in London to a Greek Cypriot father and a Singaporean mother, Mr. Hassabis later pursued studies in computer science and cognitive neuroscience at Cambridge University. He eventually joined Google for a staggering £400 million and became a co-founder of DeepMind, an artificial intelligence startup acquired by Google in 2014.
In recognition of his contributions to AI, the 48-year-old was knighted this year. He currently serves as the CEO of Google’s AI division, Google DeepMind, where his work in utilizing AI to predict and design protein structures led to the Nobel Prize.
Hassabis has always emphasized the importance of games as a pathway to AI. His interest in chess computers as a young chess prodigy sparked his curiosity in how machines learn to play games.
His AI startup achieved remarkable success in games like Go, chess, and Starcraft II, attracting global attention.
Hassabis’s expertise is highly sought after, with invitations to advise on various matters, including the UK government’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
As the leader of Google’s AI initiatives, he plays a pivotal role in the booming multibillion-dollar AI industry dominated by US tech giants.
While acknowledging the potential risks of AI, Hassabis remains optimistic about its positive impact. He sees AI, exemplified by DeepMind’s AlphaFold project, as a force for good.
In a recent interview, Hassabis stressed the importance of addressing the risks associated with AI promptly, drawing parallels to the urgency of tackling climate change.
Despite the challenges, Hassabis firmly believes in the transformative power of AI, as evidenced by his groundbreaking work and well-deserved Nobel Prize.
Source: www.theguardian.com
