2024 Nobel Prize In Physics Given To Two Scientists For Groundbreaking Contribution To Machine Learning

New Delhi: American scientist and Emeritus Professor of Princeton University John Joseph Hopfield and British-Canadian Computer scientist and cognitive psychologist known for his artificial neural networks were announced as the winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics for 2024. 

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm officially announced that this year’s Nobel Laureates in Physics have developed systems based on physics principles, which serve as the foundation for today’s advanced machine learning systems.

John Hopfield designed an associative memory system that can store and recreate images and patterns from data. Geoffrey Hinton pioneered a method that automatically detects features in data, allowing it to recognize specific elements within images.

According to the Nobel Prize’s website, “this year’s laureates used tools from physics to construct methods that helped lay the foundation for today’s powerful machine learning. John Hopfield created a structure that can store and reconstruct information. Geoffrey Hinton invented a method that can independently discover properties in data and which has become important for the large artificial neural networks now in use.”

Nobel Prize in Physics 2023

Three scientists were awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize in Physics for capturing the first split-second glimpse of spinning electrons, a breakthrough that could enhance electronics and aid in disease diagnosis. The prize was awarded to physicists Anne L’Huillier, Pierre Agostini, and Ferenc Krausz for their pioneering work with electrons, a fundamental component of atoms crucial to chemistry, physics, and technology.

The Nobel Prize in Physics includes a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor (approximately ₹8.3 crore), funded by a bequest from its founder, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. It has been awarded 117 times, and the laureates will receive their honors on December 10, the anniversary of Nobel’s death.

The Nobel announcements will continue throughout the week, with prizes for chemistry, literature, and peace still to be revealed. Here’s the full schedule:

• Chemistry Prize: Wednesday, 3:15 PM IST
• Literature Prize: Thursday, 4:30 PM IST
• Peace Prize: Friday, 2:30 PM IST
• Economics Award: October 14, 3:15 PM IST