If you have a question for Stephen Hawking, now's your chance.
The world-renowned physicist started his first AMA (Ask Me Anything) thread on Reddit Monday morning. Within two hours, the post generated more than 2,300 comments.
Many of the top questions were on the topic of artificial intelligence -- a topic Hawking has spoken out about a lot in recent years. In his opening post, Hawking urged people to join the ethical debate.
"I signed an open letter earlier this year imploring researchers to balance the benefits of AI with the risks," he wrote on Reddit. "The letter acknowledges that AI might one day help eradicate disease and poverty, but it also puts the onus on scientists at the forefront of this technology to keep the human factor front and center of their innovations."
AI, or the ability for computers to learn and develop consciousness, is a frequent subject in science fiction, often resulting in the destruction of the human race. Hawking's concerns don't go this far, but he and other scientists are worried about some of the near-term impacts, including the loss of jobs and the potential for self-thinking weapons.
Hawking, who has suffered from the motor neuron disease ALS for the past forty years, communicates through a computer. He said he will work with Reddit moderators to collect questions until August 4, and respond over the next few weeks.
