Dear friends,
Carol and I are delighted to announce the birth of our daughter, Nova Ng.
We’re enjoying this precious time with our first child. As probably every parent understands, we’ve also been reflecting on the world Nova will grow up in. Specifically, the long term impact of AI and where we are focusing our efforts in the AI community.
Building for the AI natives
Nova belongs to the first generation of AI natives. She and her peers will grow up taking for granted voice controlled devices, auto-graded homework, customized newsfeeds, facial recognition, and unprecedented levels of AI-powered automation.
She will come of age in a world shaped by the choices we make now.
We in the AI community hold an awesome power and responsibility to step up and make that world better than the one we know today.
Working on the big problems
AI is not a panacea. It cannot solve all problems. And like every technological disruption before it (the steam engine, internal combustion, electricity), it will bring about disruption good and bad.
But we’re living in an exciting moment. More students are studying AI, both in universities and online. More research is being funded, more patents are being granted, and more valuable companies are being built using AI than ever before.
There’s already tremendous momentum behind using AI to create businesses. But I hope this momentum will also spur the global AI community — engineers, researchers, government officials, entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts of all kinds — to think creatively about how AI can be used to tackle our most pressing issues, such as:
- Climate change
- Access to education
- Income inequality
- Diversity and inclusion
- Enhancing human connections through technology, rather than disintegrating them
- Accessible and affordable healthcare
- Good governance for all
Technology alone won’t solve these problems. But I say to every person in the AI community: Whenever you see a meaningful opportunity to help with these global issues, please step up.
We are working on some projects of our own, but would love to hear your ideas as well. Please feel free to post below, or tweet at us at @AndrewYNg and @robot_MD.
Thinking about what Nova’s life might be like in 2100 makes us more optimistic than ever about humanity, but also more determined than ever to work with all of you to build the world we want.
Andrew and Carol
