If there is one possibility scaring people today, apart from another world war, it is the dominance of artificial intelligence. The technology is the most disruptive now. As automation becomes highly sophisticated, humans are now terrified that they could become dispensable with the rise of the robots.
If Jack Ma's recent talk about AI is the one to go by, the technology is not all bad. China's richest man said with AI, people will only have to work 12 hours a week in 20 to 30 years from now. Working three days a week, four hours a day could make humans less exposed to a stressful lifestyle which could make them live longer, Ma said.
"I think that because of artificial intelligence, people will have more time to enjoy being human beings. I don't think we'll need a lot of jobs," Ma told the audience at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference held in Shanghai on August 29. He shared the stage with Elon Musk and exchanged opinions about the technology.
The Alibaba founder's statements have since been gaining strong reactions as his words were a stark contradiction of his previous stance regarding jobs. It would be recalled that Ma is a staunch supporter of "working hard," by endorsing the 996 work practices in China, particularly for companies that make up the country's tech sector. The 996 work setup expects employees to work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. for six days a week.
As for AI taking away jobs from humans, Ma said it is not a possibility. In fact, AI will help humans work efficiently and eliminate the long hours they spent at the workplace, he said.
"Computers only have chips, men have the heart. It's the heart where the wisdom comes from," the tech billionaire said.
Ma's optimism about AI during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference also contradicted his controversial statements made during the World Economic Forum at Davos held in January 2018. At the time, he said that while AI brings about new successful people and new interesting careers, it will also create social problems.
To highlight his point, Ma said the first technological advancement brought about World War 1. By the time the world had its second technology revolution, World War II happened. He then warned AI developers to be careful with the technology, saying that if the third technology revolution will happen, World War II should not be against people but against disease, pollution, and poverty.
