Superintelligence Will Create A New Era For Humanity And Empowerment, Mark Zuckerberg Says

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has revealed that the company is making major strides toward developing "superintelligent" AI, calling it a transformative goal for the future. In a memo shared ahead of Meta's quarterly earnings, Zuckerberg said the tech giant is pouring billions into AI research-recruiting top talent, acquiring startups, and building massive data centres. He told investors that this investment is already showing promising results, positioning Meta at the forefront of the global race to advance powerful artificial intelligence.

"In some ways this will be a new era for humanity, but in others it's just a continuation of historical trends," he shared in the memo.

"As recently as 200 years ago, 90% of people were farmers growing food to survive. Advances in technology have steadily freed much of humanity to focus less on subsistence and more on the pursuits we choose. At each step, people have used our newfound productivity to achieve more than was previously possible, pushing the frontiers of science and health, as well as spending more time on creativity, culture, relationships, and enjoying life," he said.

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"I am extremely optimistic that superintelligence will help humanity accelerate our pace of progress. But perhaps even more important is that superintelligence has the potential to begin a new era of personal empowerment where people will have greater agency to improve the world in the directions they choose," he added.

According to The New York Times, Mark Zuckerberg told investors that superintelligence is more advanced than the human brain and will enhance nearly every aspect of daily life. He explained that AI is already helping Meta's advertising by making social media feeds more engaging, keeping users on the platform longer. Additionally, he said AI will act as a personal assistant for users, ushering in "a new era of individual empowerment." 

The main way people will interact with superintelligence will be through Meta's smart glasses, which have cameras and software that can shoot and process videos, Mr Zuckerberg said.

"I think that if history is a guide, then an even more important role will be how superintelligence empowers people to be more creative, develop culture and communities, connect with each other, and lead more fulfilling lives," he said.

Mr Zuckerberg's comments came as Meta reported revenue of $47.5 billion for the second quarter, up 22 percent from a year earlier and above Wall Street estimates of $44.8 billion, according to data compiled by FactSet. Profit was $18.3 billion, up 36 percent from a year earlier and surpassing estimates of $15.1 billion.