“People don’t want to interact with robots for communication-oriented jobs,” says Lee. “They don’t want to listen to robots making speeches, leading the company, giving pep talks, our earning our trust. They don’t want robots to be teachers and nurses. We will end up with the inevitable outcome that, although large numbers of routine jobs will be eliminated, large numbers of empathetic jobs will be created.”
AI creates role for compassionate caregivers. It’s in the field of medicine where Lee sees a great opportunity for AI and humans to co-exist. “I have little doubt that AI algorithms will eventually far surpass human doctors in their ability to diagnose disease and recommend treatments,” Lee writes in his book. “One response to this would be to get rid of doctors entirely…but patients don’t want to be treated by a machine, a black box of medical knowledge that delivers a cold pronouncement.”
According to Lee, the medical personnel of the future will be “compassionate caregivers.” They will be trained in using the latest diagnostic tools, and also in communication, counseling, and emotional support. Instead of dryly informing patients of their chances of survival, they’ll share encouraging stories, explain, guide and comfort patients through the treatment process.
Educating students to co-exist with AI. Lee told me that the future of AI completely disrupts how the U.S. and China teaches its students. By focusing on rote memorization, students have no chance to best a machine. Instead, says Lee, education should focus on helping students discover and nurture their creative talents. “If you’re destined to be the next Einstein, we should encourage your interest in math and science. If you’re destined to a poet, painter or great philosopher, it should be encouraged, too.”
Lee says communication, teamwork, empathy and creativity must be taught as early as possible. “Those are the skills that matter in the future. No leader can be a great leader without those skills.” And that’s why Lee encouraged his daughters to pursue their passions. “They both received a good basic education [including math, science and physics], but I also made it a priority for them to become eloquent, trustworthy, and decent people who love what they do and who others like to work with.”
After thirty years of pioneering work in artificial intelligence at Google China, Microsoft, Apple and other companies, Lee says he’s figured out the blueprint for humans to thrive in the coming decade of massive technological disruption: “Let us choose to let machines be machines, and let humans be humans.”
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