Klaus Schwab, chairman of the World Economic Forum (WEF), during an event in Dubai, called on global governments to work together and control new technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) to decide the fate of humankind, contradicting Musk’s recent warning at the same event.
In 2015, Schwab wrote a book called The Fourth Industrial Revolution, in which he mentioned more than 20 technologies that will change the world. “All those technologies have become reality,” he said at the World Government Summit in Dubai this week while adding that humanity is moving into the “exponential phase” of technology transformation.
Schwab cited technologies like AI, metaverse, cryptocurrencies, space tech, and synthetic biology that will change the world. “Our life in 10 years from now will be completely different, very much affected. And who masters those technologies in some way will be the master of the world,” Schwab stated.
The engineering of organisms to develop unique purposes and abilities, which are not inherently available, is known as synthetic biology. It involves changing the organism’s genetic code by infusing it with another creature’s DNA, a radical step-up from genome editing. The WEF is a proponent of the methodology.
“You cannot catch up with the new technologies. You have to be a frontrunner because otherwise, you will be on the losing outside.” One of the main concerns is how to shape “necessary policies” to ensure that technologies “serve” humankind.
“Change goes so fast in our world, and we go even faster. How can we make sure that the individual, each citizen, doesn’t feel overwhelmed by change because he cannot understand really what’s going on?” Schwab said, while adding that if people do not understand change, they can turn fearful and react negatively.
The WEF head called on governments “to have the ambition and the vision to show that those technologies can serve for the good.”
Schwab also raised fears of new technologies getting out of control. “If we do not walk together on a global scale, if you do not formulate, shape together the necessary policies, they (technologies) will escape our power.”
