Artificial Intelligence Emphasized

Invited by Shenzhen Reform and Opening Up Executive Leadership Academy, Michael Jordan, a famous professor from the University of California, Berkeley, delivered speech to Shenzhen officials on August 23, 2022.

During the speech, professor Jordan analyzed the concept and the present situation of artificial intelligence, looked into its future, summarized the relationship between artificial intelligence and digital economy, thus offering new momentum for its further development in China.

▲The host is introducing Prof. Michael Jordan in bilingual.

The field of artificial intelligence was formally founded in 1956 at a conference at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, where the scientific term was coined by cognitive scientists such as John MaCarthy, Marvin Minsky and other researchers.

China attaches great importance to the development of artificial intelligence. On a study session of the political bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Chinese President Xi Jinping pointed out that artificial intelligence was of vital significance to the country’s next round scientific revolution and industrial upgrading. If we lose the chance, we will lose the whole era. So we must work harder to grasp the opportunity, try our best to compete and excel in the international market.

▲Prof. Michael Jordan presents his lecture online.

Like steam engine in the steam age, dynamo in the electrical age, internet and computer in the information age, artificial intelligence has now turned out to be a decisive force to push forward our social progress. With the quick development of modern technologies, artificial intelligence can now perform increasingly dangerous or complex tasks such as mathematical logic statistics, probability, computational neuroscience and other human cognitive activities.

According to professor Jordan, artificial intelligence are transforming our lives and will continue to do so in the coming years. This social transformation will have deep ethical impact both constructive and destructive to human being. It will lead to privacy infringement, technical safety, malicious use, bias in data, human unemployment and other problems. However, these problems should be regarded as challenges we must solve, not shackles to stop our progress.

Professor Jordan is a key researcher in the global field of artificial intelligence. He is a member of the US National Academy of Science, a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Science. There are only few top scholars in the United States who can be listed as members of the three academies at the same time.