Despite the risks, Vinod Khosla is optimistic about artificial intelligence

Vinod Khosla has little question that the way forward for humanity with artificial intelligence is vivid.

The Sun Microsystems co-founder-turned-prominent investor predicts that “the need for work will disappear” almost entirely because of artificial intelligence.

“Almost all the expertise, it doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about primary care physicians, mental health therapists, oncologists, construction engineers or accountants, all of it can be almost free,” Connie told TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief on Monday Loizos at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024.

Asked why he was so optimistic about an AI-infused future, Khosla said a world by which most human labor was free can be one among “great abundance,” adding that GDP growth would increase from “2% to well over 5%” .

As many individuals fear that artificial intelligence might be harmful to society, Khosla recently wrote an essay titled: AI: dystopia or utopia?

On stage today, he summarized a few of the points of the 13,150-word essay.

Despite his optimism, Khosla acknowledged the potential risks of artificial intelligence.

“We could have conscious AI trying to kill humanity,” he said, adding that AI safety should be addressed, though he strongly disagreed with California’s now vetoed AI bill, SB 1047.

But Khosla’s biggest concern is the use of artificial intelligence by American rivals.

“Overall, the biggest risk we face is strong AI in the hands of our adversaries,” he said. “I mainly think about President Xi and Putin.”

Khosla has been advocating against open-source artificial intelligence for months, citing concerns about its potential use by China.

In addition to concerns that adversaries could weaponize AI, Khosla said the technology could ultimately result in increased income inequality.

The enterprise capitalist, a supporter of universal basic income and income redistribution, said: “Capitalism tends to concentrate wealth, so we need to have policies to equalize it so that everyone has a share.”

Khosla was optimistic about artificial intelligence long before recent breakthroughs in the technology. He explained that his investment in OpenAI in 2018 “was an easy decision to make,” though what the company was constructing was still a bit ambiguous.

Khosla Ventures was one among the first institutional investors in OpenAI. For an initial check of $50 million, the company bought a 5% stake in an organization now valued at $157 billion.