ChinaTalk

Scale's Alex Wang on the US-China AI Race


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How could AI change the global balance of power? What could the US and allies do to preserve national moats?

To discuss, ChinaTalk interviewed the CEO of Scale AI, Alex Wang. In a blog post announcing Scale’s $1 billion fundraising success, Alex wrote that Scale is aiming to grow into the world's data foundry for AI.

Alex grew up in Los Alamos, New Mexico, with two physicist parents who worked in the national labs, and he started Scale in college.

I am particularly excited to have Alex on the show because he is perhaps the only private-sector AI leader working with the DoD and thinking seriously about the national security implications of AI.

We discuss:

  • The three key factors limiting rapid AGI takeoff, and how quickly these barriers will be overcome;
  • China’s strengths and weaknesses in the race for AGI;
  • National security implications for winning (or losing) the AI race;
  • Prospects for AI net assessment and the case for a Manhattan project for data;
  • Methods to prevent AI espionage without kneecapping innovation or profiling immigrants.

  • Outtro music: Zach Bryan - Pink Skies (Youtube Link)

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    ChinaTalkBy Jordan Schneider

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