I changed my mind on universal basic income I used to be opposed to it and now I'm in favor of it knowing all of the shortcomings. Job basically is a social and cultural construction in my opinion but purpose of living is not so I think that's deeply embedded in our human nature. We talk about using AI to recalibrate we learn renaissance for people to help them to reallocate their job in the society. And maybe in the future it's not about how much actual economic value you can create from your job but it's about how this mental wellness you can gain.
Chen Qiufan (AKA Stanley Chan) is an award-winning science fiction writer, screenwriter, creative producer, and columnist. He is the president of the World Chinese Science Fiction Association and the founder of the content development studio Thema Mundi. Chen joins the show to discuss his latest novel,
AI 2041: Ten Visions for the Future, which he co-wrote with former Google China president Kai-Fu Lee. Part science fiction, part science forecasting, over ten short stories
AI 2041 imagines the different ways, good and bad, that AI will impact our society. The central thesis? AI will transform our lives, but we remain masters of our fate. Important Links:
Show Notes:
- Qiufan’s sci-fi influences
- When did the third wave of AI begin?
- Why is modern sci-fi so dystopian?
- How AI is going to impact education
- Hidden biases & the objective function
- Deep fakes & narrative collapse
- Accelerationism, balance & Daoism
- Do we need real jobs?
- Happiness is a byproduct
- Living in a post-scarcity society
- What’s next?
- MORE!
Books Mentioned:
- AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future; by Kai-Fu Lee & Chen Qiufan
- Bullshit Jobs: A Theory; by David Graeber
- Tao Te Ching; by Lao Tzu
- Trekonomics: The Economics of Star Trek; by Manu Saadia
- Waste Tide; by Chen Qiufan