Resistance to AI is futile, so let’s enjoy being useless, controversial author Feng Tang says
Author-cum-investor says the rise of the machines is inevitable, so everyone should stop worrying and get creative
The human race has long feared that machines will one day take over the planet, and with the recent advances in artificial intelligence that reality might be closer than people think.
Thankfully, controversial Chinese author Feng Tang thinks he might have found a way for fretting mortals to better come to terms with the inevitable android invasion.
“Learn to be useless,” he said.
“The AI era is looming and the structure of society and people’s lifestyles will probably change dramatically. It’s an inevitable thing, so let’s catch up,” he said.
Though best known for his “racier” work – his 2015 translation of Indian Nobel Prize winner Rabindranath Tagore’s classic, Stray Birds was slammed (and ultimately withdrawn from sale) for its alleged vulgarity – Feng’s latest novel, So Insane, which arrived in Chinese bookstores this month, explores the looming influence of artificial intelligence and tackles the question of what people should be doing about it.
While the idea of becoming “useless” is unlikely to inspire enthusiasm anywhere outside the most indolent quarters of society, Feng said people should not see it as a negative thing.
“[Having AI] will give people more time,” the 46-year-old said.