The emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping economies and industries, prompting both excitement and concern about its potential implications. Business magnate Mark Cuban recently emphasized that while AI has the power to generate unprecedented wealth, it poses significant risks, including job displacement and the facilitation of cybercrime. As companies like Shopify and Fiverr encourage their employees to develop AI skills, Cuban suggests that individuals must adapt to this rapidly evolving landscape.
Cuban thinks AI will create the world’s first trillionaire. He imagines this would be possible with “one dude in the basement.” He draws interesting parallels from the current AI revolution back to the advent of personal computers and smartphones. He implores us all to adopt this technology rather than reject it.
In a recent talk, Cuban echoed this point, emphasizing the need to understand what AI can and cannot do. He stated, “You have to realize that it’s not actually thinking … It’s not actually smart.” This insight serves as a reminder that while AI can process data and generate responses, it lacks true cognitive abilities. Cuban’s much-needed advice to all AI users is to think critically about what the AI spits out.
“But don’t assume the answers are right. And when you find something you don’t agree with, tell the AI you don’t agree with it,” – Mark Cuban
The prospect of job displacement from AI is casting a long shadow over the current moment. In fact, most large and mid-sized companies have been changing their workforce strategies in anticipation of these technological developments. In this regard, Duolingo is perhaps the most relevant example, having already committed to moving contractors off tasks that AI can do better on a timeline to be determined. Shopify and Fiverr, meanwhile, are on a mission to encourage their employees to acquire AI skills. Beyond the surface, they know that being adaptable is key to success in today’s changing environment.
In particular, as AI holds tremendous potential for improving society, it presents a host of ethical dilemmas. The technology has been weaponized by bad actors for use in online scams and misinformation campaigns. Cyber attacks using AI have furthered sophistication underlining the urgency for vigilance in cybersecurity. Cuban does not downplay these dangers. He repeatedly claims that humanity has not seen the worst of what AI is capable of.
“We haven’t seen the best, or the craziest, of what [AI] is going to be able to do,” – Mark Cuban
Training models like OpenAI’s GPT-3 uses a staggering yet inconceivable 1,287 megawatt hours of electricity. That’s enough carbon-free energy to power approximately 120 average American homes for a full year! This massive energy consumption highlights the environmental implications of AI advancements and raises key questions about the sustainability of AI and other technological innovations.
Cuban sees a future where those who adopt AI will become more wealthy than ever before. He foreshadows huge economic benefits to those who are first to embrace the technology.
“Remember the early days of PCs and people were like, ‘I don’t need that. … What’s this internet thing? Why do we need it?’ Then it was smartphones,” – Mark Cuban