US scientist John Hopfield and British-Canadian researcher Geoffrey Hinton have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking contributions to machine learning, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced on Tuesday.
The prestigious award, which includes a prize of 11 million Swedish crowns ($1.1 million), honors the duo’s discoveries that laid the foundation for modern artificial neural networks, revolutionizing science, engineering, and daily life through machine learning advancements.
The Nobel Prize in Physics, established in the will of Alfred Nobel, has been awarded since 1901, recognizing major scientific achievements. This year’s prize continues the legacy of past laureates like Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr. Hopfield and Hinton join the list of distinguished winners for their vital role in shaping artificial intelligence.
Last year’s Nobel in Physics went to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz, and Anne L’Huillier for their pioneering work on ultra-short light pulses, which have applications in disease detection and atomic-level observations.
