Various researchers, e.g. Werbos, Linnainmaa, Bryson and Yu-Chi Ho have been doing backprop in neural networks before Hinton et al. Hinton was merely a popularizer of the idea.
It's the same with Hinton et. all. They were among many other pioneers, but what really sets them apart is that they made it all work. They also analyzed why it works.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gustave_Whitehead
Ive seen some debate around Gustave Whitehead. There apparently is some evidence that he achieved powered flight as early as 1899.
It is claimed, he did not speak English very well. So it’s suspected he just didn’t publicize his work as much.
Replicas of his early flying machine designs have been shown to fly. Including one from 1901:
Seems disingenuous to not mention that this device only worked due to ground effects and "flew" 8 inches off the ground (according to Wikipedia).
Werbos and others were very aware that the method worked and also of the implications of it:
> This approach makes it possible to develop generalized, adaptive artificial intelligence, capable of achieving results comparable to what is discussed in science fiction
http://werbos.com/Neural/SensitivityIFIPSeptember1981.pdf
The Hinton cartel happened to be in the right condition that allowed them to ignore the politically correct BS starting at the turn of the century which rendered the study of neurons, IQ and intelligence massively unpopular; and ruthless enough to only cite one another and call themselves the "fathers of deep learning" rather than actually citing the originators of these ideas.
People deserve credit for taking an idea and running with it. Without Hinton's efforts (in 1987, 2006, or 2012), deep learning would have never seen the explosive growth.
Yes, as popularizers.
> deep learning would have never seen the explosive growth
This is extremely unlikely to be true. I think the explosive growth occured because neurons and intelligence were unpopular in the 2000s because of PC, deferring progress in this area to occur explosively later. The Hinton cartel were not the only people who were aware that AI research "has become silly" (in his own words).
Stating "would never have" is nothing more than telling a story.