Vinod Khosla has no doubts that humanity’s future with AI is brilliant.
The Solar Microsystems co-founder turned outstanding investor predicts that “the necessity to work will go away” virtually completely because of AI.
“Nearly all experience, it doesn’t matter whether or not you’re speaking about main care physicians, psychological well being therapists, oncologists, structural engineers or accountants — all of it may be close to free,” he mentioned on Monday in a dialog with TechCrunch editor-in-chief Connie Loizos on the TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 convention.
When requested why he’s so optimistic about an AI-infused future, Khosla mentioned that the world the place most human labor is free can have “nice abundance,” including that GDP progress will improve from “2% to nicely over 5%.”
As a result of many individuals are involved that AI might be detrimental to society, Khosla just lately penned an essay titled: AI: Dystopia or Utopia?
Onstage at this time, he recapped among the factors from the 13,150-word essay.
Regardless of his optimism, Khosla acknowledged the potential dangers of AI.
“We may have sentient AI attempt to kill humanity,” he mentioned, including that AI security needs to be addressed, despite the fact that he vehemently disagreed with the now vetoed California AI invoice, SB 1047.
Nevertheless, Khosla’s greatest concern is the U.S. rivals’ use of AI.
“By and enormous, the largest danger we face is robust AI within the palms of our adversaries,” he mentioned. “I’m largely pondering of President Xi, and I’m pondering of Putin.”
For months, Khosla has advocated towards open supply AI, citing issues about its potential exploitation by China.
Along with fears that adversaries may weaponize AI, Khosla mentioned this know-how may finally result in elevated earnings inequality.
The enterprise capitalist, a proponent of common fundamental earnings and earnings redistribution, mentioned, “Capitalism tends to pay attention wealth, so we’ve to have coverage to equalize it so all people has a stake.”
Khosla has been bullish on AI lengthy earlier than this know-how’s latest breakthroughs. He defined that his 2018 funding in OpenAI “was a straightforward determination to make,” despite the fact that what the corporate was constructing was nonetheless considerably ambiguous.
Khosla Ventures was one of many first institutional traders in OpenAI. The agency’s preliminary $50 million verify has purchased it a 5% stake within the firm that’s now valued at $157 billion.
