Masayoshi Sonexecutive director of SoftBankhas announced his prediction that in ten years an artificial intelligence (AI) will emerge that will be 10 thousand times more intelligent than humans. The revelation was made on Friday, June 21, during the company’s annual general meeting of shareholders, according to information disseminated by international media such as CNBC. At this event, the CEO not only explained his technological expectations, but also reflected on his personal purpose and that of SoftBank.
During the assembly, Are first introduced the concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI). This technology, he stated, is expected to be between one and ten times more intelligent than humans and could materialize in a period of three to five years, ahead of initial forecasts. “If AGI is not much smarter than humans, we don’t need to change the way of life, we don’t need to change the structure of human lifestyle,” Son said through a live translation of his comments in Japanese.
However, he stressed that the scenario will change with the arrival of the artificial superintelligence (ASI). Son emphasized: “With ASI, you will see a huge improvement”. According to his explanation, multiple ASI models will interact with each other like neurons in a human brain, leading to an AI 10,000 times smarter than any human genius. This ambitious vision has sparked both enthusiasm and skepticism among the company’s analysts and shareholders.
SoftBank shares fell more than 3% in Japan after the meeting, reflecting the uncertainty in the market regarding these forecasts. This decline adds to a complicated financial context for SoftBank. In 2023, the Vision Fund, the massive technology investment fund launched by SoftBank in 2017, posted a new record loss. Following these results, Son stated that SoftBank would shift from a defensive to an offensive approach, motivated by his enthusiasm for investment opportunities in AI.
Masayoshi Son is known for his compelling technological vision and ability to foresee trends. SoftBank gained global recognition thanks to its early and profitable investment in Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant. However, his investments in companies like WeWork have resulted in high-profile failures, momentarily tarnishing his reputation.
In his speech, Son also addressed personal and existential issues. “Two years ago, I’m getting old, the rest of my life is limited, but I haven’t done anything yet and I cried a lot.”, he commented, suggesting that he felt he has not achieved anything significant to date. However, he claimed to have found SoftBank’s purpose and his own mission in life. “SoftBank was founded for what purpose? For what purpose was Masa Son born? It may sound strange, but I think I was born to perform THIS way. “I take it very seriously,” he added.
Despite financial challenges and fluctuations in the market, Son remains optimistic and determined about the future of SoftBank and its contribution to the evolution of humanity through the development of advanced AI technologies. This statement highlights his commitment and long-term vision, which has been a constant throughout his career.
