At the Future Investment Initiative conference held in Saudi Arabia, Masayoshi Son, founder and CEO of SoftBank, predicted that within the next decade, we will witness the emergence of a super artificial intelligence that is ten thousand times more intelligent than the human brain. However, he also acknowledged that achieving this technology would require significant financial investment.
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Son mentioned that creating such a super AI would require approximately 400GW of computing center power, a figure that exceeds the current total power supply of the United States. Additionally, it is estimated that 200 million chips will be needed. The total investment for all this will amount to $9 trillion. He stated, "To many, this investment seems too large, but I believe it is still reasonable; $9 trillion is not too big, and it might even be too small."
Son believes that if this super AI could generate about $9 trillion in economic benefits annually, then the initial investment is actually negligible and can be gradually offset by the profits. He predicts that four companies will achieve trillion-dollar profits, and he clearly hopes to be one of them.
However, Son has adjusted his timeline for the realization of super AI. In June, he predicted that this technology would emerge within three to five years, with SoftBank's majority-owned Arm being one of the beneficiaries. However, this time he specifically mentioned that Nvidia will also be a future winner, stating bluntly that Nvidia's valuation is underestimated.
Of course, Son's views are not without challenges. Building a super AI will face enormous financial and power demands, exceeding the capabilities of many countries. And what if he is wrong? After all, SoftBank has had investment missteps in the past.
For example, SoftBank invested billions of dollars in the shared office company WeWork, which saw its investment value plummet after founder Adam Neumann's wild statements, leading to the halt of its IPO and Neumann's eventual resignation. This raises the question of whether SoftBank is facing a new investment risk. Nevertheless, Son appears optimistic, stating that he is储备资金 to prepare for the construction of future super AI. As one of the world's top billionaires, his "saving" plan undoubtedly makes it seem that the cost of this future project will be enormous.
Key Points:
🌟 SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son predicts that a super AI ten thousand times smarter than humans will emerge by 2035.
💡 Building a super AI requires an investment of $9 trillion, expected to create $9 trillion in annual economic benefits.
🔌 Achieving a super AI needs 400GW of power and 200 million chips, exceeding the capabilities of many countries.
