Ben Goertzel didn't discover AI with Chat-GPT. It is to this American researcher that we owe the name of "Artificial General Intelligence" (AGI), a major technology with human cognitive capabilities that could be developed "within a few years". He is also at the origin of the SingularityNET platform, intended for the decentralized and democratic development of AI. So when he says that "artificial intelligence could replace 80% of jobs in the coming years", the general public listens to him. And maybe that's why he is quick to add "it's a good thing" when asked to elaborate.

"With new systems like ChatGPT coming soon, I think 80% of jobs held by humans could become obsolete. But I don't see it as a threat, but as an advantage," he told AFP. That is a good thing. People will find better things to do than work for a living. Virtually all administrative tasks can be automated."

How to solve social problems?

The Brazilian-born scientist, however, remains worried in the short term. "The problem will be the transition period, when artificial intelligences will start to make obsolete one job after another (...) I don't know how we're going to solve the social problems caused."

However, he does not believe that there should be a pause in the development of AI, as some experts claim. "Some people say we need to stop the research because this kind of system contributes to misinformation. But then, should we ban the Internet? (...) I think we need to live in a free society, and just as the internet shouldn't be banned, we shouldn't ban it (ChatGPT) either."

Robots for education or care

Ben Goertzel caused a stir this week at the Web Summit conference in Rio de Janeiro, presenting Grace, a robotic nurse designed to care for elderly people in nursing homes. He sees his creation as an example of the solutions that technology can bring to the problems of our societies. "Robots can do a lot of good things. In the United States, a large number of elderly people feel lonely in nursing homes. Even if they are fed, receive medical care and watch TV, it is insufficient in terms of social and emotional support. If you bring humanoid robots into these spaces that answer their questions, listen to their stories, help them call their children or shop online, it improves their lives." An example of the jobs that AI will replace in the short term?



"In this case, we do not cut jobs," he replies, "because there are not enough candidates for positions as nurses or orderlies. Education could also be an incredible market for humanoid robots, as could housework."

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