By A Farooqui
The future of AI is a topic that sparks both excitement and apprehension. To shed light on this evolving landscape, I sat down with Nishant, the CEO of Cybernetyx, who provided a detailed exploration of AI’s current state and its potential impact on various sectors. Nishant’s insights reveal a world on the brink of transformation, driven by the rapid advancements in AI technology.
AI’s Unprecedented Growth and Impact
Nishant began by highlighting the rapid pace at which AI is evolving, emphasising that even predicting its trajectory over the next three to four years is challenging. “The field is moving so fast that it’s very difficult to predict how things will change,” he said. He explained that the fundamental impact of AI on jobs, employment, and the demand-supply dynamics of talent is already happening. “This impact is tremendous and economy-altering,” Nishant noted, emphasizing that productivity gains are inevitable with AI.
He cited a report from Goldman Sachs, which estimated that AI could generate around $15.7 trillion in gains globally, accounting for about 7% of the world’s GDP. Such unprecedented potential makes it hard to imagine any other technology revolution achieving similar outcomes. Nishant pointed out that neither the cloud nor mobile technologies had such an impact, making these truly unprecedented times.
AI and the Labor Market: A Double-Edged Sword
A significant part of our conversation revolved around the potential impact of AI on the labor market. Nishant acknowledged the fears surrounding job displacement due to AI. “The fear that your friend is feeling is real,” he said, referring to a scenario where AI could significantly impact high-paying jobs. However, he also noted that AI could enhance human capabilities, acting as a tool that boosts productivity and efficiency.
Nishant illustrated this point by comparing AI to a screwdriver that enhances human ability. “AI is like a tool that enhances your productivity, but it also has built-in agency. It knows what you want to do, your goals, and why they matter to you,” he explained. This agency makes AI unique among all the tools humanity has invented.
To lighten the conversation, I shared an anecdote about a friend who, worried about AI taking over jobs, humorously decided that he might prefer to open a restaurant or become a builder—professions he believed AI couldn’t easily replace. Nishant found this perspective quite valid and indicative of the broader sentiment. “There will always be jobs that AI can’t do, like building or cooking,” he said, acknowledging that while AI can handle many tasks, some human-centric jobs will remain.
The Struggle of Large Companies to Implement AI
Despite the potential, many IT and software firms struggle to implement AI effectively. Nishant attributed this to the existing systems not being ready for AI and needing a complete overhaul. He cited Google’s experience, where their AI system once gave a bizarre recommendation to eat a stone daily. Such instances highlight the challenges these companies face in deploying AI systems accurately.
Nishant explained that large companies like Google have significant revenue models tied to their current operations. For example, Google’s revenue relies heavily on ad clicks from search results. If AI starts providing direct answers, users might stop clicking on links, affecting Google’s revenue. “Their hundreds of billions of dollars in revenue are at stake,” Nishant said, explaining why such companies must take cautious steps in adopting AI.
In contrast, startups like Perplexity, which don’t have the burden of protecting existing revenue streams, can take more risks and innovate freely. This agility allows them to explore AI’s full potential without worrying about immediate monetization.
Nishant mentioned that this dilemma is not new. Large incumbent companies often struggle with innovation due to their established structures and revenue models. However, history shows that brave leaders who embrace change can lead their companies to new heights. He cited the example of Satya Nadella at Microsoft, who shifted the company’s focus to cloud services and made its software accessible across ecosystems. Similarly, Shantanu Narayen at Adobe transitioned the company to cloud services, despite significant opposition, resulting in substantial growth and reduced piracy.
The Future of AI: Agents and Personalized Learning
Looking ahead, Nishant discussed the next wave of AI products: agents. Unlike current generative AI models that provide single-shot outputs based on prompts, agents can set and achieve goals autonomously. “These agents figure out the steps to achieve a goal and deliver the outcome, making them much more powerful and versatile,” Nishant explained.
He also highlighted the potential of AI in personalised education. With AI, personalised tutoring could become accessible to every child, regardless of location or economic background. Nishant shared how AI could revolutionise education by providing instant feedback and personalised learning experiences, something traditional education systems struggle to achieve.
For instance, AI can act as a personal tutor, offering customised learning experiences based on individual needs. This capability can address the significant student-teacher ratio problem in countries like India, where personalised attention in education is rare. “AI can provide personalised tutoring at scale without incurring huge costs, making quality education accessible to everyone,” Nishant said. He referenced studies showing that average-performing students receiving personalised attention often outperform higher-performing students who do not, highlighting the transformative potential of AI in education.
Nishant also mentioned the impact of AI on homeschooling. With AI, parents can easily teach even the toughest concepts to their children. “You have a personal assistant or tutor at home to help your children,” he said. Nishant shared how he uses AI to assist his two daughters with their assignments and learning, making the process more efficient and personalized.
AI in Entertainment: Personalized Movies
One of the most fascinating aspects of our conversation was the potential for AI in the entertainment industry. I posed a question to Nishant about the future of movies and AI, suggesting a scenario where viewers could personalise movies, changing characters and storylines to their liking. “Imagine watching a movie and being able to change the characters, making yourself the hero or anyone else the villain for a personalised movie experience,” I said.
Nishant found this idea intriguing and quite possible given the current state of AI technology. He explained that AI could revolutionise the way movies are made and consumed, allowing for unprecedented levels of viewer engagement and satisfaction. “This level of personalization could transform the entertainment industry,” Nishant said, highlighting how AI could enable viewers to have unique, tailored movie experiences.
General Intelligence: A Distant Dream?
While the idea of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is gaining traction, Nishant expressed scepticism about its near-term realisation. He explained that current AI models lack the ability to learn from and interact with their environment like humans. “General intelligence without grounding is very difficult,” he said, pointing out that AI needs to evolve to learn from the world like a child to achieve true AGI.
Nishant explained that AGI requires an AI system to have common sense and reasoning capabilities akin to human intelligence. Current AI models, while impressive, are essentially sophisticated pattern recognizers. They do not possess an understanding of the world or the ability to learn from real-world interactions. “We are still far from achieving AGI because our models lack the ability to interact with and learn from the environment in a meaningful way,” he said.
However, Nishant acknowledged that significant research is ongoing in this area. Companies are experimenting with new architectures and approaches to bring AI closer to AGI. While the path to AGI is challenging, he believes it is inevitable. “Achieving AGI will take time, and we are not there yet. But it is an inevitable goal that researchers are striving towards,” he said.
The Importance of Ethical AI Development
As AI continues to evolve, ethical considerations become increasingly important. Nishant emphasised the need for responsible AI development, highlighting the potential risks associated with AI misuse. He pointed out that AI can be a double-edged sword, capable of both tremendous benefits and significant harm if not managed properly.
Nishant stressed the importance of transparency, accountability, and fairness in AI systems. He advocated for clear guidelines and regulations to ensure that AI technologies are developed and used ethically. “We must be vigilant about the ethical implications of AI and ensure that it is used for the greater good,” he said.
He also discussed the role of governments and regulatory bodies in overseeing AI development. Nishant believes that collaboration between industry, academia, and policymakers is crucial to address the ethical challenges posed by AI. By working together, these stakeholders can create a framework that promotes innovation while safeguarding against potential risks.
AI’s Role in Transforming Industries
Nishant touched on AI’s transformative potential across various industries. From healthcare to finance, AI is poised to revolutionise how we work and live. He shared examples of how AI is being used to solve complex problems and improve efficiency in different sectors.
In healthcare, AI is being used for drug discovery, diagnosis, and personalised treatment plans. Nishant mentioned DeepMind’s AlphaFold, which has significantly advanced our understanding of protein folding, potentially saving billions of hours in research. “AI has the potential to revolutionise healthcare by accelerating research and improving patient outcomes,” he said.
In finance, AI is being used for fraud detection, risk management, and algorithmic trading. These applications help financial institutions operate more efficiently and make better-informed decisions. Nishant highlighted the importance of AI in enhancing productivity and driving economic growth across various industries.
Conclusion
Our conversation with Nishant, CEO of Cybernetyx, provided valuable insights into the rapidly evolving world of AI. From its unprecedented growth and impact on the labour market to the challenges faced by large companies in implementing AI, Nishant’s perspectives offer a comprehensive understanding of the current state and future potential of AI technology.
As we stand on the brink of an AI-driven transformation, it is crucial to navigate this journey thoughtfully and strategically. The future of AI holds immense promise, but it also requires careful consideration of ethical implications and responsible development. Nishant’s insights remind us that while the path to AGI and other advanced AI capabilities is challenging, it is an inevitable goal that will shape the future of our world.
