<p>Efforts to develop artificial intelligence to create thinking machines pose a threat to the very existence of human race, famed British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking warned today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race," the 72-year-old cosmologist and author said when asked about a revamp of the technology he uses to communicate, which involves a basic form of artificial intelligence (AI).<br /><br />Hawking, who has the motor neurone disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is using a new system developed by Intel to speak.<br /><br />Machine learning experts from the British company Swiftkey were also involved in its creation. Their technology, already employed as a smartphone keyboard app, learns how the professor thinks and suggests the words he might want to use next.<br /><br />Hawking says the primitive forms of artificial intelligence developed so far have already proved very useful, but he fears the consequences of creating something that can match or surpass humans.<br /><br />"It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate," he told the BBC.<br /><br />"Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete, and would be superseded," he said.<br /><br />He has, however, been an enthusiastic early adopter of all kinds of communication technologies and is looking forward to being able to write much faster with his new system.<br /><br />But one aspect of his own tech - his computer generated voice - has not changed in the latest update. Hawking concedes that it's slightly robotic, but insists he did not want a more natural voice.<br /><br />"It has become my trademark, and I wouldn't change it for a more natural voice with a British accent," he said. " I'm told that children who need a computer voice, want one like mine."</p>
<p>Efforts to develop artificial intelligence to create thinking machines pose a threat to the very existence of human race, famed British theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking warned today.<br /><br /></p>.<p>"The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race," the 72-year-old cosmologist and author said when asked about a revamp of the technology he uses to communicate, which involves a basic form of artificial intelligence (AI).<br /><br />Hawking, who has the motor neurone disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is using a new system developed by Intel to speak.<br /><br />Machine learning experts from the British company Swiftkey were also involved in its creation. Their technology, already employed as a smartphone keyboard app, learns how the professor thinks and suggests the words he might want to use next.<br /><br />Hawking says the primitive forms of artificial intelligence developed so far have already proved very useful, but he fears the consequences of creating something that can match or surpass humans.<br /><br />"It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever increasing rate," he told the BBC.<br /><br />"Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete, and would be superseded," he said.<br /><br />He has, however, been an enthusiastic early adopter of all kinds of communication technologies and is looking forward to being able to write much faster with his new system.<br /><br />But one aspect of his own tech - his computer generated voice - has not changed in the latest update. Hawking concedes that it's slightly robotic, but insists he did not want a more natural voice.<br /><br />"It has become my trademark, and I wouldn't change it for a more natural voice with a British accent," he said. " I'm told that children who need a computer voice, want one like mine."</p>