LinkedIn cofounder and billionaire Silicon Valley entrepreneur Reid Hoffman took an optimistic view on artificial intelligence in a recent interview, saying it would usher in a new “cognitive Industrial Revolution” that empowers both humans and society with more agency rather than less. However, he conceded that the transition period will be “difficult” and “turbulent” and that people need to work deliberately to build technologies that will create more agency.
In a wide-ranging interview with The Guardian to promote his latest book, “Superagency: What Could Possibly Go Right With Our AI Future?,” co-written with Greg Beato and some help from ChatGPT, Hoffman predicted that AI will bring “anticipated superpowers and superagency.” One reason he has such a positive outlook on AI is because past technological changes — such as the original Industrial Revolution — increased human agency rather than decreasing it, he said.
Hoffman said that large language models like ChatGPT mark a turning point in the relationship between artificial intelligence and human agency. Previous AI models like facial recognition and surveillance acted on humans, often without their permission — in contrast, people must actively choose to use AI tools such as ChatGPT.
“You get to the good future by steering toward it,” he told the Guardian. “Not that you don’t pay attention to the bad futures — but you do so as you’re figuring out how to navigate the right way.”
Hoffman used ChatGPT to help write the book
Though Hoffman and Beato wrote most of the book, they also used ChatGPT to conduct research, generate pro-and-con summaries, and suggest rewrites. Hoffman recommended that all writers use AI if they aren’t already, calling it “a huge intelligence amplifier.”
In fact, Hoffman urges all information professionals to use AI tools in their work, so they won’t be out-performed and out-skilled by colleagues who are using them.
“I don’t think it is AI-proofing yourself,” he said. “It is AI-amplifying yourself. The important thing is to be engaging with AI and learning the tools.”
Hoffman predicted that the future of AI in the workplace will look very similar to his process of writing the book, with AI tools primarily acting as a “co-pilot” that assists human workers. However, he did concede that “obviously some job types will disappear.”
“We will need to build technologies that can help people whose jobs are changing adapt,” he said, “or, if the job does completely goes away, find other jobs that they can learn and possibly do with AI.”