London: The co-founder of Google's artificial intelligence (AI) company DeepMind said children should be encouraged to play video games because it helps boost creativity.
Demis Hassabis said his gaming experience contributed to his success as a computer scientist and entrepreneur. He reportedly sold his DeepMind to Google in 2014 for his US$500 million (RM2.3 billion).
“It's important to feed your creative side, not just play the game,” Hassabis told the BBC.
“You never know where your passion will lead you, so I encourage parents to let their kids be really passionate about things and develop skills through that.”
Hassabis said children need to prepare and adapt to a “very rapidly changing world” and should “embrace their ability to adapt”.
The 47-year-old founded DeepMind in 2010 after studying at Cambridge University, and the company was acquired by Google four years later. The company develops algorithms and machine programs that learn to play video games and navigate e-commerce like humans.
Demis Hassabis previously served as an advisor to the UK government's Artificial Intelligence Agency and joined the Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Group supporting the response to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. – PA Media/dpa
