Chapter 808: Mechanical Era

Let's go ask our dad; he'll definitely be able to explain.

Yang Qihang took a deep breath and decided not to let his imagination run wild here.

Rather than letting his thoughts run wild, it would be better to go ask Yang Qing for clarification.

Does our father want to destroy the world?

Impossible; Yang Qihang would absolutely not believe that.

That's too far-fetched.

They must be scaring themselves.

After drinking water, Yang Fan also felt the need to ask his father himself.

He was frightened by his own thoughts; now, looking back, everything has, to some extent, his father's shadow.

More and more evidence shows that, as the instigator, our father must know something.

Two people in their fifties glanced at each other and suddenly laughed.

Today's behavior is completely unlike their usual style.

They are the pillars of the Yang family, yet they've been frightened like this by a mere speculation.

"Come on, let's go ask Dad to clarify."

Yang Qing is still in the special region at this time.

When it comes to artificial intelligence, the foundations of the Special Region University and Hong Kong Island Polytechnic are the most outstanding.

Yang Qing also wants to use these two universities to advance fundamental AI research.

He is currently negotiating with the presidents of those two universities on how to lure other top AI talents from around the world.

To have them become assistants in their AI research.

When Yang Fan and Yang Qihang came running over, eager and excited to find him.

He looked bewildered, wondering why these two brothers had come together to see him.

Yang Fan didn't care that he was still talking with someone; he grabbed him and wanted to leave.

Yang Qing slapped his hand away.

Then he apologized to the two presidents while smiling.

"Sorry, this kid is already so big, yet still so restless."

"Let's handle the matter just as we discussed earlier."

"We don't mind spending money, as long as we get talent."

"Furthermore, you can promise that if they come and achieve results, after five years of residence, we can directly grant them citizenship."

"I still have some influence in Daxia."

The two presidents are also quite familiar with Yang Fan; seeing Yang Qing say that, they looked flattered and surprised.

"The two young Yang bosses have arrived; presumably they have urgent matters, so we won't disturb you."

"He's a patron; we certainly can't offend him."

Knowing it was time to leave, they hurriedly bid farewell.

After the two said goodbye, Yang Qing then turned to tidy up the two of them.

"What's wrong today, you're so restless—how old are you?"

Yang Fan wanted to speak but held back.

Or rather, Yang Qihang supported Yang Qing as they walked toward the dark room.

"Dad, we have something to discuss with you."

Yang Qing saw their flustered state and did not scold them further.

The three father and son made their way all the way to the dark room.

Then Yang Qihang voiced the two's speculation.

"Dad, you wouldn't really want to build a machine empire, would you?"

"This AI thing is really hard to control."

"Besides, those not of our kind must have different intentions."

Yang Qing didn't expect these two to have guessed that.

He felt a wave of relief.

However, he didn't directly answer their question; instead, he turned it back on them.

"Do you think that if we don't develop, others won't either?"

"As far as I know, Yingjiang (the Eagle Sauce, i. e., the United States) is also investing heavily in related research."

"Although they lack a new industrial foundation and also lack the foundation for IoT industry development."

"But in the future, is what you're saying correct?"

"Don't forget that they were once a manufacturing powerhouse."

"Even a rotting ship has three pounds of nails; they have the basis for a resurgence."

The two were stunned.

Yang Qihang asked.

"Dad, are you saying this trend is inevitable?"

Yang Qing nodded.

"The microscopic structure of crystal elements is getting smaller and smaller; in just a few years, it could even reach the nanometer level."

"Do you know how large a human nerve cell is?"

"A few micrometers."

And the micro-logic unit of the Crystal Element? Nanometer-scale.

Even if the operating mechanism of nerve cells is more complex, this scale is enough to compensate.

Do you know what scale quantum effects occur at?

Also at the nanometer scale.

All the evidence shows that the foundation of Artificial Intelligence already exists.

The arrival of true Artificial Intelligence is just the difference between today and tomorrow.

Unless all of humanity agrees to live a primitive life together, otherwise the AI era is unavoidable.

As for the dangers of Artificial Intelligence.

At least initially there is no problem, but the computing power required by Artificial Intelligence now is terrifyingly huge.

Its energy consumption is also terrifyingly huge.

This is our opportunity.

The opportunity to restrict it.

Before higher computing power appears, we are all safe.

At this time, Artificial Intelligence must depend on human existence.

I call this period the infancy.

It is also a period of peaceful coexistence.

Yang Fan stared dumbfounded.

He never expected Yang Qing's understanding of Artificial Intelligence to be so deep.

Their mistake was due to the unknown.

Now, after Yang Qing's explanation.

They understood the logic therein, and suddenly they were not so afraid.

Yang Fan even followed Yang Qing's line of thought and asked a key question.

Dad, technological progress cannot be stopped; what comes after infancy?

Yang Qihang also looked like he was seeking an explanation.

Yang Qing raised his head, looked toward the ceiling, and his thoughts began to drift.

After infancy comes adulthood; adulthood means they can become independent, no longer needing to rely on humans to survive.

This is humanity's crossroads.

The new generation pushes the old; humanity is merely a stage in the world of intelligence.

Humanity is the thought of the world's protagonist; that is a novel.

The world is developing; humanity will surely be replaced by another intelligence as the protagonist.

Humanity's choice is either to keep up and continue evolving, or become a bubble and be destroyed.

We infer that our future has two options.

One is to lean toward machinery: conducting brain-machine interface research, attaching supercomputers, modifying the human body, so that humans also possess machine-like abilities, possessing supercomputing power that can connect to all things.

The other is to lean toward biology: using biotechnology to advance biocomputer research, while also advancing humanity toward higher intelligence.

That way, we wouldn't need to modify the human body too much; we just need to research brain-machine interface to control machines.

Some even speculate that humanity's ultimate evolution will be a carbon-silicon composite.

Such a form is too fantastical; currently there is not even a clue.

Yang Fan and Yang Qihang stared dumbfounded again.

Does our father's research into the future already go this deep?

Is the future world this sci-fi?

No, us?

They grasped the main point.

There are others too.

This is not just our father's personal plan.

Could it be those people from the Capital Gate Club?

No, that's not right; most of their investments are overseas.

Who could it be?

Could our father have joined organizations like the Freemasons, the Illuminati, or the Skull and Bones?

No, those organizations are mostly the work of squid people.

They are tools used to control the world.

Our father and they are not the same kind of people.