The story behind the cartoon
Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel-winning computer scientist known as a godfather of AI, told the Guardian on November 3, 2026, that it might turn out humans would have been better off never developing the technology.
Hinton, whose neural-network research underpins modern AI, warned the technology could trigger a large-scale incident this year or next, such as a temporary blackout of financial or power systems — while insisting he is not a 'doomer' and that AI could still lead to a 'wonderful future.'
He predicted that within a decade humanity will know whether it can manage the technology's risks and enable 'radical abundance,' and called for mandatory testing of frontier AI models with independent evaluation.
The joke is the creator reaching for the plug: the man who built the brain stands before his own giant creation, finger outstretched for the off switch — before the machine gets to switch us off first.
THE GODFATHER IS WORRIED.
THEY BUILT THE OFF SWITCH
SIRI OPENS THE DOOR TO EVERYBODY
THE LIPSTICK THAT PRINTS MONEY