Embracing Singularity

Robby Ratan, an Associate Professor at Michigan State University, explores groundbreaking ideas on education in the age of AI. He challenges the notion of traditional schools, discussing whether AI could render them optional. Ratan shares his innovative projects, like teaching in virtual reality and his Avatar Summer School. Conversations touch on the balance of tech for kids, the future of critical thinking, and the potential of AI to address educational inequalities. With personal stories and thoughtful insights, he highlights what learning could look like in the next decade.

Albert Wenger, a German-American businessman and managing partner at Union Square Ventures, discusses the transformative potential of zero marginal cost and AI. He explores how everything could be free and the implications for capitalism and work. Wenger argues that universal basic income might be essential to address the diminishing value of labor. He shares insights from a UBI pilot he’s funding, emphasizing the impact of $500 a month on individuals. The conversation navigates the need for government action in an AI-driven future and the importance of user empowerment.

How can we build smarter AI without burning the planet? In this episode, we dive into the energy crisis at the heart of today’s AI with Subutai Ahmad, CTO of Numenta. While current AI models guzzle power like data-hungry beasts, the human brain runs on just 20 watts—about the energy of a light bulb. Why are we still using outdated 1950s neuron models when neuroscience has uncovered so much more? Subutai makes the case for breaking free from brute-force GPUs, embracing brain-inspired designs, and rethinking both our algorithms and hardware from the ground up. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation on how biology might hold the key to unlocking radically efficient, trustworthy AI for everyone.

In this episode, Peng and Wei Qing explore the idea that (a) in the age of AI, proprietary relationships can be scalable, (b) businesses should rethink how they're built given that they can build proprietary relationships at almost zero cost, (c) trust with the customer may become the only moat that businesses will have, and (d) hence how this may become good for humanity. Please join them as they explore this thought provoking conversation!

We had the pleasure of welcoming Professor Fei-Fei Li to Singapore last week - and what better way to celebrate than to invite her on a bus with 40 Stanford alums! In this unique and intimate podcast, Fei Fei shares with us her personal journey (from supporting her family to finding her North Star), her vision of human-centered AI, and her recent entrepreneurial turn as the co-founder of World Labs, a spatial intelligence AI company. We also ask what she thinks about Embracing Singularity. Please tune in to partake in this exclusive journey.

In Episode 3, Prashanth Prakash, founding partner of Accel India (one of India's leading venture capital funds) joins Peng to discuss the impact of AI on business. Join two well known investors (who are also founders and old friends) as they --Examine how AI will likely commoditize various sectors, including outsourcing, while also creating new opportunities.Touch upon the potential of AI in education and healthcare to democratize access and improve outcomes. Consider the skills future generations will need in an AI-driven world, emphasizing the enduring importance of leadership and human connection. Ponder the future of innovation, entrepreneurship, and the transformative power of AI across industries.

In this episode of Embracing Singularity, Wei Qing and Peng discuss the rapidly evolving landscape of AI and its implications. They explore the commoditization of intelligence, the accelerating shift from "AI doing efficiency" to "AI doing AI," and the impending economic and technological singularities. With a mix of deep insight and candid conversation, they discuss how AI is reshaping industries, redefining labor, and challenging our fundamental understanding of value, creativity, and purpose. As entrepreneurs and investors, they also ponder what it takes to build defensible businesses in a world where intelligence itself is becoming a utility.Here’s what we talked about: Intelligence becoming a commodity.AI shifting from efficiency to self-improvement.AI acceleration outpacing human understanding.Automation reshaping labor and economic value.Traditional capitalism may struggle to adapt.AI-driven automation transforming industries.Robotics will redefine work, public spaces, and homes.AI challenges our notions of creativity and genius.The rise of AI forces deep existential questions.Entrepreneurs must rethink defensibility in an AI world.

We believe that humanity is at an inflection point and AI will commoditise intelligence. How do we build businesses that will thrive in this age of AI? In Episode 1, Peng and Wei Qing, share more about their backgrounds as investors and entrepreneurs in the US, China and SEA, and explain why they are starting this podcast.