Two technology giants disagree on what is the greatest threat to humanity | Technology and science | Present

The magnates behind Alibaba and Tesla disagree about the future.

Jack Ma, the second richest man in China, said he was "quite optimistic" about the effects that artificial intelligence can have on humans and added that there is nothing to fear.

"I'm not sure, I don't think it's going to be that way," Elon Musk replied, arguing that technology is advancing faster than our ability to understand it.

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Entrepreneurs, who are part of the most influential leaders in the technology and commercial sector, faced their views at an event held last week at the World Conference on Artificial Intelligence (WAIC), in Shanghai.

— Work three days a week? —

Ma, who has caused controversy to support the idea that people work from nine in the morning to nine at night and six days a week (a system known as 996), argued that with technological development, employees would work in The future much less.

"I think people should work three days a week and four hours a day," the billionaire said, "because, with artificial intelligence, people will have more time to enjoy. I don't think we need many jobs."

"The jobs we need are those that make people happier."

"Don't worry, we will have jobs," he added.

Ma cited the Industrial Revolution and electricity to exemplify how developments in technology gave way to a better balance between work and personal life.

In addition, the businessman said that people will live many more years.

"In the age of artificial intelligence people can live 120 years."

"We need artificial intelligence for robots to take care of the elderly."

— Mass Unemployment —

On the contrary, Musk pointed out that mass unemployment is a real concern.

"Artificial intelligence will make jobs a bit useless."

"Probably the last job that will be left will be to develop artificial intelligence and eventually artificial intelligence will code your own software."

The billionaire added that there is a risk that humanity will come to an end and that it will finally be seen as a point of preparation for the beginning of a higher type of life.

"You could think of humanity as a biological driver for digital super-intelligence."

To avoid that fate, he said we need to find a way to connect our brains to computers, something he would be trying to do through one of his latest startups.

"Don't worry about the machines," said Ma.

"A computer is a computer. A computer is a toy."

"A computer can be smart, but humans are smarter," he added, in front of which Musk replied: "Definitely not."

— What do you agree with? —

In that fears about the overpopulation of the planet are wrong.

"The biggest problem the world will face in 20 years will be the population decline," Musk said.

That prediction received the full support of Ma.

"The speed at which the population will decrease will increase," he added.

However, he added that the use of artificial intelligence to extend life for more years may be part of the solution.

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