Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a business professor at Yale University who has tracked the presence of American companies in Russia since the outbreak of the Ukraine war, recently asked more than 100 CEOs in various industries about the potential impact of artificial intelligence on their businesses. Asked for thoughts on The results were astonishing.
At a virtual event hosted this week by the Sonnenfeld Institute, a research and education group affiliated with Yale University, the professor asked questions such as whether AI is overhyped and whether it is a potential threat to humanity. A survey was distributed to 119 CEOs in various industries, including .
Respondents included Walmart CEO Doug McMillion, Coca-Cola’s James Quincy, Zoom founder and CEO Eric Yuan, manufacturing and pharmaceutical companies. , media business leaders included.
Most CEOs are excited about AI, but many fear it will destroy humanity
A Sonnenfeld study found that more than 40% of CEOs surveyed believe AI could destroy humanity within the next decade. More than 30% of him said that such a thing could happen within the next 10 years, and 8% believe that day could come within his five years. Nearly 60% of respondents said they were “not worried” about AI posing a threat to humanity. Over 40% believe that the dangers of AI are exaggerated.
When asked about the positive impact of AI, CEOs were more unanimous, with nearly 90% saying AI’s potential opportunities are not overstated. However, they are not entirely convinced of AI’s business potential. “There is a sense that a lot of money has been put into the valuation.” [of AI companies]’” Sonnenfeld told the observer. “And there are a lot of questions about the underlying business model.”
Young CEOs are more confused about AI than older CEOs
In previous research into emerging technologies such as cryptocurrencies, Sonnenfeld found that young executives (under 40) tended to be more knowledgeable about the subject than older ones. Almost the opposite happened with AI, which surprised him
“In the case of cryptocurrencies, older CEOs are more confused, but in this case, more young CEOs know what they are talking about than older CEOs with stronger technical backgrounds. Doesn’t seem like it,” he said. “They are more interested in speaking the language than understanding the technology and where it can be most useful.”
Sonnenfeld observes from surveys and conversations with CEOs that many young CEOs love to talk about using AI tools in marketing and advertising, rather than in more influential areas such as healthcare and manufacturing. Did.
A ‘cautious optimist’ about the future of AI
Sonnenfeld divides the CEOs he surveys into five groups, ranging from extremely optimistic about AI to staunchly against the technology.
- “Creative Creators” I insist that all I can do, I should do. (Venture capitalist Marc Andreessen recently expressed a similar view in a blog post on AI.)
- “True Believers in Euphoria” See only the good in technology.
- “Commercial Gainers” I don’t necessarily understand new technology, but I’m eager to capitalize on the hype.
- “Warning Activist” Claim AI limits
- “Global Governance Advocate” Assist with regulation and necessary enforcement.
Sonnenfeld told The Observer that he considers himself a “cautious optimist” on the issue. “This is very similar to what we have seen with social media, biotech and nuclear energy,” he said. “As Robert Oppenheimer warned us, it is very dangerous to think that technology will only take us to the best places in the world.”
To minimize AI’s potential harm, Sonnenfeld established legal guidelines for the technology, similar to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signed in 1968 to limit the irresponsible proliferation of nuclear weapons. suggested to do
