Geoffrey Hinton, John Hopfield win Nobel Prize in Physics for discoveries enabling ML

John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton were awarded Nobel Prize in physics Tuesday for discoveries and inventions that formed building blocks of machine learning.

“This year's two Nobel Laureates in physics have used tools from physics to develop methods that are foundation of today's powerful machine learning,” Nobel committee said in a press release.

Hopfield's research is carried out at Princeton University and Hinton works at University of Toronto.

Three scientists won last year's physics Nobel for providing first split-second glimpse into superfast world of spinning electrons, a field that could one day le to better electronics or disease diagnoses.

2023 award went to French-Swedish physicist Anne L'Huillier, French scientist Pierre Agostini and Hungarian-born Ferenc Krausz for ir work with tiny part of each atom that races around center and is fundamental to virtually everything: chemistry, physics, our bodies and our ggets.

Six days of Nobel announcements opened Monday with Americans Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun winning medicine prize for ir discovery of tiny bits of genetic material that serve as on and off switches inside cells that help control what cells do and when y do it.

If scientists can better understand how y work and how to manipulate m, it could one day le to powerful treatments for diseases like cancer.

physics prize carries a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor (USD 1 million) from a bequest left by award's creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel. It has been awarded 117 times. laureates are invited to receive ir awards at ceremonies on December 10, anniversary of Nobel's death.

Nobel announcements continue with chemistry physics prize on Wednesday and literature on Thursday. Nobel Peace Prize will be announced Friday and economics award on October 14.