The cover of Kai-Fu Lee’s book, “AI Superpowers.” (Submitted)
Kai-Fu Lee—a world-leading artificial intelligence expert, venture capitalist, writer, and former president of Google China—is planning a visit to Oak Ridge on May 6, a press release said.
Lee, a 1979 Oak Ridge High School graduate, will visit his former schools, St. Mary’s Catholic School and Oak Ridge Schools, meeting with students and teachers during the day, the press release said.
The public is invited to an evening ceremony at Pollard Auditorium including a reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. and Lee’s talk at 6:30. This community event will be hosted by the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation, UT-Battelle, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, and Friends of ORNL. Lee will be available to sign his most recent best-selling book, “AI Super-Powers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase, the press release said.
Lee’s innovative work in computer science includes the development of the world’s first speaker independent, continuous speech recognition system, a project submitted for his doctoral dissertation from Carnegie Mellon University, the press release said. His resume embraces a gamut of executive positions with Apple, Silicon Graphics, Microsoft, and Google. He is now the chairman and chief executive officer of Sinovation Ventures, a tech investment firm focusing on developing the next generation of Chinese high-tech companies, the release said.
Lee’s work in artificial intelligence has led him to hypothesize on the future and the rapidly developing changes to be felt in society: loss of jobs and subsequent personal worth issues, redefining and training a new workforce, and consideration of a universal basic income, the press release said. However, Lee also emphasizes that robots will never be able to create or empathize, the release said.
In his latest book, he writes: “While AI (artificial intelligence) handles the routine optimization tasks, human beings will bring the personal, creative, and compassionate touch. This will involve the redefinition of existing occupations or the creation of entirely new professions in which people team up with machines to deliver services that are both highly efficient and eminently human.”
Lee recently appeared on the television show “60 Minutes,” discussing his new book and the promise of AI in education. During the show’s interview, he praised his experiences in education in the United States, particularly noting his “Tennessee education.” He has contributed to the ORHS Class of 1979 story for the Oak Ridge Public Schools Education Foundation’s book, “Celebrating 75 Years of Excellence in Education: Oak Ridge Schools, 1944-2018.” In his autobiography and openly in interviews, Kai-Fu expresses how he continues to be grateful for the community that he found with St. Mary’s School and to the principal at that time, Sister Mary David, for sacrificing her lunch break to teach him English. Thus, it is especially meaningful to have Kai-Fu Lee request visits with students from his former schools as well as share his technological foresightedness with the Oak Ridge community, the press release said.
This press release was submitted by Jessica Steed.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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