By: Mr. Muhammad Harith Daniel Azman

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has announced that the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics will be awarded to John J. Hopfield from Princeton University and Geoffrey E. Hinton from the University of Toronto “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks”.

Key Contributions of the Laureates:

• John Hopfield developed an associative memory model capable of storing and reconstructing patterns, such as images, by mimicking how the brain’s neurons interact. His network, known as the Hopfield Network, applies principles from physics, specifically atomic spin, to find the lowest energy state, allowing it to accurately retrieve stored information even from distorted inputs.
• Geoffrey Hinton, building on Hopfield’s work, introduced the Boltzmann machine, a neural network that learns to recognize and classify patterns autonomously. Using statistical physics, this network can identify key features within data and generate new examples, further propelling the rapid advancements in machine learning.

These neural networks, inspired by the structure of the brain, simulate neurons as nodes that strengthen or weaken connections through training, much like synapses. Their pioneering work since the 1980s has been essential in shaping modern artificial intelligence (AI).

Impact of Their Work:

• Artificial neural networks are now integral to many aspects of AI, including image recognition, data classification, and even the development of new materials. As Ellen Moons, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Physics, remarked, “The laureates’ work has already been of the greatest benefit, with applications extending into a wide range of areas within physics and beyond.”

 

Figure 1: Natural and artificial neurons

 

Figure 2: Memories are stored in a landscape

 

Figure 3: Different types of network

 

Reference

Press release. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2024. Sat. 12 Oct 2024. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/2024/press-release/>

Date of Input: 12/10/2024 | Updated: 04/11/2024 | harithdaniel