“The era is coming when the world will copy Chinese developments”

One day in 2018, Lee was driving an Uber. “When will self-driving cars take my job?” the driver asked him. “In 15-20 years,” Lee answered him. “Well, I’ll be retired by then,” the driver breathed a sigh of relief. It’s good that this happened in the US, Lee told the MIT Technology Review. A driver in China would have to be told that within 10 years, AI will put him out of work. Or 15 if you’re lucky.

This may seem surprising. The hype surrounding US developments in AI gives the impression that the US is leading the way in this area. In fact, if China has not yet caught up, then it is successfully catching up with its rival. Lee estimates the chances of winning at least 50 to 50. In his lectures and publications, Lee has repeatedly explained what are the strengths of Chinese developers.