TED Talks Daily 3 possible futures for AI — which will we choose? | Alvin W. Graylin, Manoush Zomorodi
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Jan 20, 2026 
In a thought-provoking discussion with Manoush Zomorodi, Alvin W. Graylin, a tech executive with extensive experience in AI and VR, presents three potential futures for AI. He warns of a world ruled by trillionaire tech giants or one descending into conflict. Instead, Graylin advocates for a collaborative future, proposing a global AI lab to share advancements and reduce bias. He also emphasizes the need for a modern GI Bill to support workers displaced by AI. The conversation encourages a shift towards cooperative benefits for all.
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Three Divergent Futures For AI
- Alvin Graylin frames AI's present as a fork with three divergent societal futures.
- He warns we're currently trending toward concentrated wealth or conflict rather than shared benefit.
Consolidation Or Escalation Risks
- Graylin describes an 'Elysium' outcome of tech giants consolidating power and wealth into a new elite.
- He also highlights the risk of escalation from AI competition to kinetic, possibly nuclear, conflict.
The 'Enemy' Narrative Fuels AI Acceleration
- Graylin calls out the 'race' narrative as a tool to mobilize funding and deregulation.
- He argues that labs often frame China as an enemy to accelerate profit-driven growth, not altruism.