Despite risks, Vinod Khosla is optimistic about AI

Vinod Khosla has no doubts that humanity’s future with AI is bright.

The Sun Microsystems co-founder turned prominent investor predicts that “the need to work will go away” almost entirely thanks to AI.  

“Almost all expertise, it doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about primary care physicians, mental health therapists, oncologists, structural engineers or accountants — all of it can be near free,” he said on Monday in a conversation with TechCrunch editor-in-chief Connie Loizos at the annual TechCrunch Disrupt conference.

When asked why he is so optimistic about an AI-infused future, Khosla said that the world where most human labor is free will have “great abundance,” adding that GDP growth will increase from “2% to well over 5%.”

Because many people are concerned that AI could be detrimental to society, Khosla recently penned an essay titled: AI: Dystopia or Utopia?

Onstage today, he recapped some of the points from the 13,150-word essay.

Despite his optimism, Khosla acknowledged the potential risks of AI.

“We could have sentient AI try and kill humanity,” he said, adding that AI safety has to be addressed, even though he vehemently disagreed with the now vetoed California AI bill, SB 1047.

However, Khosla’s biggest concern is the U.S. rivals’ use of AI.

“By and large, the biggest risk we face is strong AI in the hands of our adversaries,” he said. “I’m mostly thinking of President Xi, and I’m thinking of Putin.”

For months, Khosla has advocated against open source AI, citing concerns about its potential exploitation by China.

In addition to fears that adversaries could weaponize AI, Khosla said this technology could eventually lead to increased income inequality.

The venture capitalist, a proponent of universal basic income and income redistribution, said, “Capitalism tends to concentrate wealth, so we have to have policy to equalize it so everybody has a stake.”

Khosla has been bullish on AI long before this technology’s recent breakthroughs. He explained that his 2018 investment in OpenAI “was an easy decision to make,” even though what the company was building was still somewhat ambiguous.  

Khosla Ventures was one of the first institutional investors in OpenAI. The firm’s initial $50 million check has bought it a 5% stake in the company that’s now valued at $157 billion.