Jürgen Schmidhuber: The Unsung Pioneer of Generative AI Lacking a Turing Award

At the 2024 World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, Jazzyear interviewed Professor Jürgen Schmidhuber, a key figure in AI research. Schmidhuber and Sepp Hochreiter introduced Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks in 1997, a foundational technology for many AI applications, notably in natural language processing. Despite his groundbreaking contributions—including principles of Generative AI—Schmidhuber has not received a Turing Award, sparking discussions about recognition in the field. He emphasizes the collaborative nature of AI development, arguing that multiple contributors should be credited for advancements that often overshadow overlooked pioneers. Throughout the conversation, he addresses the historical context of AI, critiques contemporary practices of citation, and reflects positively on the future of AI, envisioning self-improving machine civilizations. Commitment to scientific integrity and advocating for unrecognized contributors are central themes in his narrative, highlighting the importance of acknowledging the rich history of AI beyond mainstream narratives.

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