AI 2041 : Ten Visions for Our Future

Summary: Hailed as a best book of the year by the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post, AI 2041 is the “dazzling” (New York Times) and prescient exploration of how AI would begin transforming our worldIn this provocative, utterly original work of “scientific fiction,” Kai-Fu Lee, investor, technologist, and one of the world’s leading experts on artificial intelligence, teams up with celebrated novelist Chen Qiufan to imagine our world in 2041 and how it will be shaped by A.I.. In ten gripping short stories, they introduce readers to an array of eye-opening settings and technologies, from autonomous weapons and vehicles, to A.I. teachers, and intelligent household robots. In San Francisco, a new industry, “job reallocation,” arises to serve displaced workers; in Tokyo, a music fan is swept up in an immersive form of celebrity worship; in Mumbai, a teenage girl rebels when AI gets in the way of romance. AI 2041 is an “inspired collaboration” (Wall Street Journal) that “brims with intriguing insight” (Financial Times) into our collective future.Publication History:Currency HC 9/21 NEW FOREWORD: A new foreword, written for the paperback by Kai-Fu Lee, will underscore how AI 2041 is more relevant than ever.THE PERFECT BOOK FOR THIS MOMENT IN TIME: AI 2041 was prescient in predicting the rise of technologies like ChatGPT. Now, there is a swell of new interest in AI and this is the perfect book for people who want to look beyond today’s headlines and discover what else in on the horizon.BEST OF THE YEAR: AI 2041 was named a best book of the year by the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, and Intelligence Squared. Critics praised its “imaginative” format (Science), its “engaging” stories (Inside Higher Education), and its “valuable” takeaways (Wall Street Journal).POWER DUO: Kai-Fu Lee is one of the world's foremost AI experts; his TED Talk (bit.ly/2zEDWa5) has over 100 million views, and world leaders and CEOs continually seek out his perspective on the future. Chen Qiufan’s is frequently cited as the face of China’s ascendant science fiction scene.Quotes:“An invaluable and entertaining vision of the future.”—Ray Dalio, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Principles“To say that AI 2041 is enlightening and valuable, is to understate its significance. . . . AI 2041’s scientific fiction gives us a way to open our eyes to what is actually going on all around us and where things are heading.”—John Kao, Forbes“By blending imaginative storytelling and technical expertise, Kai-Fu Lee and Chen Qiufan bring to life a vision for AI that addresses both our curiosity and our fears. Read this captivating book to better understand how and when certain technologies are likely to mature, and what that could mean for all of us.”—Satya Nadella, CEO, Microsoft“We have reached a momentous inflection point with AI, and no other book I’ve read captures it with such stunning insight and imagination. Instead of wondering whether to trust AI, we must think of it as a tool—one that we humans are in charge of shaping. Kai-Fu Lee’s brilliant analysis in AI 2041 embodies this urgent mandate for humanity, while Chen Qiufan’s gripping stories reveal how AI can become a bridge between previously unsolvable problems and a future of new possibilities.”—Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO, Thrive Global“AI 2041 is the perfect fusion of science and fiction, illuminating the pervasive impact artificial intelligence will have in our lives and the challenges we face in shaping a techno-future that benefits all of humanity.”—Marc Benioff, chair and CEO, Salesforce“Applying AI to business usually means learning the technology first and then figuring out how to apply it. AI 2041 allows readers to take the exact opposite approach. Through amazingly entertaining stories, Lee and Chen take us on an immersive trip through the future and then zoom out with exceptionally clear explanations of the technology at work. The result is an enjoyable and eye-opening book for those trying to understand how to apply AI.”—Mark Cuban“Making predictions about the future of AI is not for the faint of heart. This inspired collaboration between a pioneering technologist and a visionary writer of science fiction offers bold and urgent insights into how these technologies may impact our lives.”—Yann LeCun, winner of the Turing Award; chief AI scientist, Facebook“Are we fit for the strange new world we seem determined to create? What is clear is that imagination-defying change is upon us. Less clear is what these changes will mean for humankind. Kai-Fu Lee and Chen Qiufan’s AI 2041 offers the most carefully and caringly considered visions of what is soon to come.”—Bennett Miller, Academy Award–nominated director of Moneyball and FoxcatcherAuthor Bio: Kai-Fu Lee is the CEO of Sinovation Ventures and New York Times bestselling author of AI Superpowers. Lee was formerly the president of Google China and a senior executive at Microsoft, SGI, and Apple. He is co-chair of the Artificial Intelligence Council at the World Economic Forum.Chen Qiufan (Stanley Chan) is an award-winning author and translator, and the founder of Thema Mundi, a content development studio. His works include Waste Tide, Future Diseases, and The Algorithm for Life.Author Residence: Lee: Beijing, China & Taipei, Taiwan; Qiufan: Beijing, China & Shanghai, ChinaAuthor Hometown: Lee: Shantou, China; Qiufan: Taipei, Taiwan Table of Contents:Introduction by Kai-Fu Lee: The Real Story of AIIntroduction by Chen Qiufan: How We Can Learn to Stop Worrying and Embrace the Future with ImaginationOne: The Golden Elephant• Analysis: Deep learning, big data, internet/finance applications, AI externalitiesTwo: The Gods Behind the Masks• Analysis: Computer vision, convolutional neural networks, deepfakes, generative adversarial networks (GANs), biometrics, AI securityThree: Twin Sparrows• Analysis: Natural language processing, self-supervised training, GPT-3, AGI and consciousness, AI educationFour: Contactless Love• Analysis: AI healthcare, AlphaFold, robotic applications, COVID automation accelationFive: My Haunting Idol• Analysis: Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), brain-computer interface (BCI), ethical and societal issuesSix: The Holy Driver• Analysis: Autonomous vehicles, full autonomy and smart cities, ethical and social issuesSeven: Quantum Genocide• Analysis: Quantum computers, bitcoin security, autonomous weapons and existential threatEight: The Job Savior• Analysis: AI job displacement, universal basic income (UBI), what AI cannot do, 3RS as a solution to displacement Nine: Isle of Happiness• Analysis: AI and happiness, general data protection regulation (GDPR), personal data, privacy computing using federated learning and trusted execution environment (TEE)Ten: Dreaming of Plenitude• Analysis: Plenitude, new economic models, the future of money, singularityAcknowledgmentsIndex