Google has set up an ethics board to oversee its work in artificial intelligence.

The search giant has recently bought several robotics companies, along with Deep Mind, a British firm creating software that tries to help computers think like humans.

One of its founders warned artificial intelligence is  'number 1 risk for this century,' and believes it could play a part in human extinction. 

Google recently bought a series of robotic companies including California-based Meka, which makes humanoid robots, pictured. The firm isn't expected to make these technologies available to consumers but instead could use them to automate deliveries of goods

GOOGLE GETS SMART

The acquisition of DeepMind isn’t Google’s first foray into artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Its most recent Hummingbird search update was created to make Google 'more human' - searches can now understand context, like a human brain, for example.

Its Google Now app uses ‘predictive analysis’ to predict what Android users will do next, before offering relevant help and information at each step without ever being asked. 

Google also hired futurist Ray Kurzweil as Engineering Director in 2012.

Kurzweil has famously claimed that in just over 30 years, humans will be able to upload their entire minds to computers and become digitally immortal - an event called singularity.

He also claimed the biological parts of our body will be replaced with mechanical parts and this could happen as early as 2100.

'Eventually, I think human extinction will probably occur, and technology will likely play a part in this,' DeepMind’s Shane Legg said in a recent interview.

Among all forms of technology that could wipe out the human species, he singled out artificial intelligence, or AI, as the 'number 1 risk for this century.'

The ethics board, revealed by web site The Information, is to ensure the projects are not abused.

'Google has agreed to establish an ethics board to ensure the artificial intelligence technology isn't abused, according to two people familiar with the deal,' said The Information, which revealed the news.

The DeepMind-Google ethics board is set to create a series of rules and restrictions over the use of the technology. 

The purchase of Deep Mind saw a comprehensive school-educated computer genius has become a multi-millionaire overnight after selling his company to Google.

Neuroscientist Demis Hassabis, 37, co-founded DeepMind Technologies just two years ago with the aim of trying to help computers think like humans.

His company has yet to produce anything commercially but Google has still paid £242million for its expertise in the pioneering field of artificial intelligence. It represents Google’s biggest ever single acquisition in Europe.  

Mr Hassabis told MailOnline: 'We’re really excited to be joining Google.

'This partnership will allow us to turbo-charge our mission to harness the power of machine learning tools to tackle some of society’s toughest problems, and help make our everyday lives more productive and enjoyable.'

The website states DeepMind uses ‘the best techniques from machine learning and systems neuroscience to build powerful general-purpose learning algorithms.’

A friend of Mr Hassabis said: ‘He has very forward-looking ideas and can spot where industries are heading in the future.’

Programmes that predict the way people think and can even teach computers to think for themselves are set to be the next big breakthrough in technology.

It is believed Facebook had been interested in buying London-based DeepMind Technologies, which employs 75 people, but Google has now stolen a march on its rival.

GOOGLE'S NEWEST AI EMPLOYEE

Demis Hassabis, 27

Neuroscientist Demis Hassabis, 37, co-founded DeepMind Technologies just two years ago with the aim of trying to help computers think like humans.

He set up DeepMind with two other entrepreneurs, Shane Legg and Mustafa Suleyman. 

His company has yet to produce anything commercially but Google has still paid £242million for its expertise in the pioneering field of artificial intelligence.

Mr Hassabis grew up in Hendon, north London. At the age of four, he saw his father, a Greek-Cypriot entrepreneur, playing chess and asked to be taught the rules. Within weeks, he was beating his father. 

A couple of years later he was programming computers.

He took his A-levels early at just 15 and says his local comprehensive kept him on a ‘light rein’ which enabled him to develop his other interests. He went on to Cambridge University where he graduated with a double first in computer science.

He set up DeepMind with two other entrepreneurs, Shane Legg and Mustafa Suleyman. 

The business also counted Founders Fund, the venture firm started by Facebook backer Peter Thiel, as an investor. They will share in the £242million windfall.

This latest acquisition follows Google's recent purchase of seven robotics firms, including Meka, which makes humanoid robots, and Industrial Perception, which specialises in machines that can package goods and load up lorries, for example.

However, instead of being used in the robotics division, it is more likely DeepMind, and its expertise, will be used to improve Google's current technologies - including voice and text search. 

Google's most recent Hummingbird search update, for example, was created to make Google 'more human' and searches can now understand context, like a human brain. 

DeepMind's technology could help develop this further. 

This isn’t Google’s first foray into artificial intelligence and machine learning.

In addition to its Hummingbird search update, the Google Now app uses 'predictive analysis' to predict what Android users will do next, before offering relevant help and information at each step without ever being asked. 

Google also hired futurist Ray Kurzweil as Engineering Director in 2012.

Kurzweil has famously claimed that in just over 30 years, humans will be able to upload their entire minds to computers and become digitally immortal - an event called singularity.

He also claimed the biological parts of our body will be replaced with mechanical parts and this could happen as early as 2100. 

DeepMind isn't Google's first foray into artificial intelligence and machine learning. Google hired futurist Ray Kurzweil, pictured, as Engineering Director in 2012. He claims in just over 30 years, humans will be able to upload their entire minds to computers and become digitally immortal

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2548355/Google-sets-artificial-intelligence-ethics-board-curb-rise-robots.html