Moore’s Law Will Bring Emotional Machines — SoftBank CEO
Humans will face their biggest test when computers surpass human intellectual capabilities, according to Masayoshi Son, the billionaire founder and CEO of SoftBank Corp., the Japanese telecommunications and Internet giant. But virtual emotions may keep them under control, he said.
Mr. Son, known for his interest in robots as well as his aggressive corporate acquisitions, bases his predictions partly on Intel co-founder Gordon Moore’s forecast 50 years ago on Sunday that the number of transistors on a chip would double approximately every two years.
The Japanese telecom heavyweight reiterated his view that computers would surpass human intellectual capabilities in a speech earlier this month. But he gave a fuller portrait of the future in a 2010 speech in which he said transistors on a chip would exceed the number of human brain cells by 2018.
At that time he suggested that computers should acquire feelings provided they were given “hearts” that would enable them to love and show kindness.
“That, I believe, is the correct evolution of the computer brain,” he said, suggesting that the virtual consciences would prevent supercomputers from running out of control.
Among other developments he forecast for the 24th century, Mr. Son said DNA treatments and artificial organs would have increased average human life expectancy to 200 years. He also said automated translation would have removed language barriers and–in what could be a bad sign for his own business–people would communicate by telepathy.
While some of Mr. Son’s predictions sound far-fetched, he said SoftBank was committed to making them happen.
“We aren’t sci-fi movie directors or novelists. We want to make this all reality,” he said.
Mr. Son, 57, still appears committed to this vision. He plans to sell thousands of humanoid robots to consumers starting this summer. The robots, named Pepper, have been billed as the first that can sense human feelings.