"Godfather of AI" Geoffrey Hinton to Attend 2025 TMTPost T-EDGE

Geoffrey Hinton, the world-renowned “Godfather of AI” and 2018 Turing Award laureate, has confirmed his attendance at the 2025 TMTPost T-EDGE Global Conversations for the AI Era, marking his first-ever dialogue with Chinese media.

The event, set to begin on December 8 in Beijing, will bring together global thought leaders to discuss the transformative power and risks of artificial intelligence in an increasingly fragmented yet interconnected world.

Professor Hinton, whose pioneering research on neural networks and backpropagation laid the foundation for modern AI systems including ChatGPT, image recognition, and autonomous driving, will deliver the opening keynote speech.

He will join TMTPost Founder, Chairperson, and CEO Jany Hejuan Zhao for an in-depth discussion on the future of AI, innovation, and human responsibility in the machine age.

The dialogue comes at a critical juncture in 2025, a year marked by both fragmentation and integration. On one hand, global economic restructuring, rising geopolitical tensions, and growing trade barriers are driving nations toward regionalized supply chains and localized industrial ecosystems.

On the other, breakthroughs in AI are accelerating global integration—creating a powerful “butterfly effect” that links computing power, chip manufacturing, and data services into an interconnected innovation network.

“As AI becomes increasingly intelligent, the challenge is ensuring that it continues to serve humanity,” Hinton once remarked. “That’s a question that requires global cooperation.” His participation in TMTPost’s T-EDGE Global Conversations embodies that spirit—encouraging open dialogue across borders, disciplines, and industries.

The 2025 T-EDGE Global Conversations, hosted by leading Chinese technology media group TMTPost, will take place from December 8 to 21 (Beijing Time). The event will feature a hybrid format combining virtual dialogue and in-person closed-door salons, connecting key global innovation hubs including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Haikou, Hong Kong, Silicon Valley, Toronto, Singapore, Tokyo, and Dubai.

Themed “Global Conversations for the AI Era,” the conference aims to foster cross-time-zone, cross-cultural collaboration among scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers. Topics will span frontier areas such as next-generation AI development, smart devices, global political shifts, consumer market restructuring, and China-U.S. cooperation in innovation and digital transformation.

Professor Hinton’s appearance will be featured as a special edition of the “Hejuan Zhao Talk” video podcast—TMTPost’s flagship program known for high-level interviews with global business and technology leaders. This conversation will offer rare insights into Hinton’s views on the ethical and existential questions raised by artificial intelligence, as well as his reflections on the trajectory of deep learning after decades of groundbreaking work.

Throughout the two-week series, TMTPost will unveil a lineup of influential guests from technology, finance, and academia, facilitating in-depth exchanges on how AI, data, and digital technologies are reshaping the global economic landscape.

All discussions and interviews from the conference will be compiled into the 2026 Global Technology and Business Outlook Report, offering analysis and predictions on the key innovation trends shaping the coming year.

TMTPost’s media network—including its official app, WeChat account, and video channels on Bilibili, Douyin, and Weibo—will livestream major sessions and publish highlight content. Barron’s China, also under TMTPost Group, will provide extended coverage through its digital and social platforms.

Coinciding with the event, the 2025 TMTPost EDGE Awards have officially opened nominations. Recognized as one of the most influential annual honors in China’s innovation ecosystem, the EDGE Awards celebrate companies, products, and individuals that redefine the boundaries of technology and business. The 2025 edition will adopt a broader international perspective, spotlighting global breakthroughs across AI, digital transformation, and industrial innovation. Winners will be announced progressively throughout the conference.

From December 8 to 21, the 2025 T-EDGE Global Conversations will connect global innovators in a shared mission: to navigate the paradox of progress, balancing extraordinary intelligence with enduring humanity.