- AI will soon take on roles encompassing health monitoring, telehealth communications, grocery shopping, reservation management, investment assessment, and educational tutoring for young children.
Masayoshi Son, founder of SoftBank Group Corp, articulated bold predictions regarding the imminent capabilities of artificial intelligence (AI).
He posited that AI will soon take on roles encompassing health monitoring, telehealth communications, grocery shopping, reservation management, investment assessment, and educational tutoring for young children.
Son’s expectation for the advent of artificial general intelligence (AGI) — a pivotal milestone in AI development — has now been revised to a timeline of two to three years, reflecting his confident outlook on the technology’s evolution.
Son’s remarks illustrate his deep commitment to AI investment, despite the polarising nature of his projections.
Human-like reasoning
He has historically combined ambitious investment strategies with a cautious awareness of the potential pitfalls, urging sceptics to embrace AI advancements rather than risk obsolescence.
“We can design AI personal agents who understand your emotions and whose greatest reward is your happiness.”
The vision suggests not only a technological leap but also a profound shift in the relationship between technology and humanity, emphasising the ethical imperative to ensure that AI aligns with human well-being.
Central to Son’s discussion was his admiration for OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT model, which he tested with complex queries. His positive experience highlighted the model’s agility in simulating human-like reasoning, reinforcing the sentiment that AI is set to enhance human decision-making processes significantly.
Son drew an intriguing comparison between the human brain’s static capacity of synaptic connections and the explosive growth of parameters in generative AI, suggesting a future where AI may surpass human cognitive abilities in specific domains.
Transformative impact
Moreover, Son underscored the necessity for AI to conduct intricate interactions, such as negotiation and coordination, to fulfill its potential in everyday tasks.
The aspect necessitates greater connectivity and the development of advanced processing chips, a field in which SoftBank is significantly invested. With plans to allocate substantial resources towards AI infrastructure, including data centres and semiconductor technology, SoftBank is positioned to be a leader in shaping Japan’s AI ecosystem.
As SoftBank’s stock performance demonstrates resilience amid broader market fluctuations, Son’s vision for the future of AI stands as a testament to the transformative impact it promises for society. His emphasis on the duality of potential success and risk in investment underscores the unpredictable nature of technological advancements.
While history has shown that not all ventures yield positive outcomes, Son’s conviction in AI’s potential reflects a critical turning point in how technology may redefine human experiences.