AI 2041: Ten Visions for Our Future

In this innovative fusion of imaginative narrative and scientific insight, a forward-thinking AI specialist collaborates with a prominent speculative fiction writer to tackle a pressing question: In what ways will artificial intelligence reshape our world in the next twenty years? AI is set to become the hallmark of the twenty-first century, transforming familiar facets of daily life beyond recognition in just two decades. It promises to create vast new wealth, transform healthcare and education through a synergy of humans and machines, and spawn novel modes of communication and entertainment. While AI frees us from mundane tasks, it will also challenge the foundations of our economic and social structures. Simultaneously, AI poses new dangers with emerging autonomous weaponry and intelligent technologies that may replicate human prejudices. As AI teeters on the brink of monumental influence, society must awaken to both its brilliant possibilities and the existential risks it presents to the world as we know it.

In this thought-provoking and entirely unique work of "scientific fiction," Kai-Fu Lee, the former president of Google China and renowned author of "AI Superpowers," teams up with esteemed novelist Chen Qiufan to envision the future world of 2041 shaped by AI advancements. Through ten compelling stories set two decades ahead, they transport readers to various eye-opening scenarios in 2041: In San Francisco, a burgeoning "job reallocation" sector emerges to assist workers displaced by AI; in Tokyo, a music aficionado finds herself ensnared in an all-encompassing realm of celebrity idolization; in Mumbai, a teenage girl rebels against AI's interference in romantic matters; in Seoul, virtual educators present orphaned twins with innovative learning and connection opportunities; while in Munich, a rogue quantum computer scientist's scheme for revenge threatens global security.

Looking toward a near future, "AI 2041" provides crucial perspectives on our collective destiny, all the while underscoring that humanity ultimately holds the pen to write its own story.