In May 2023, Geoffrey Hinton — the scientist whose deep learning research forms the foundation of modern AI — resigned from Google after a decade to freely speak about AI risks. At 75, Hinton said he 'regretted his life's work' and warned that AI could soon surpass human intelligence, could be used for large-scale manipulation, and that the technology was advancing faster than anyone's ability to control it. His departure sent shockwaves through the industry and became a defining moment in the AI safety debate.