The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-first Century's Greatest Dilemma

Mustafa Suleyman is a prominent figure in the field of artificial intelligence. In The Coming Wave, he draws on his background in both government and technology to illuminate his views on the transformative potential and risks of emerging technologies.

Born and raised in London, Suleyman displayed an early interest in social justice. He pursued a degree from the University of Oxford before dropping out at age 19. After dropping out, he founded a counseling service called the Muslim Youth Helpline. He also delved into the world of public service, working as a policy officer for the mayor of London. In The Coming Wave, Suleyman explains that in his youth, he possessed a sense of idealism about the power of government to positively impact society. This idealism was tempered by his experience working in government. In his twenties, he decided to switch careers to technology in order to make a greater impact on the world. The rapid rise of Facebook showed him that technology had the ability to scale quickly and impact people on a broad scale, unlike the bureaucratic nature of government.

Transitioning to the field of technology, Suleyman co-founded DeepMind Technologies, an AI research lab, in 2010 alongside Demis Hassabis and Shane Legg. DeepMind quickly rose to prominence for its groundbreaking work in machine learning and AI, attracting attention for its development of AlphaGo, an AI program that defeated the world champion Go player. Suleyman played a key role in shaping DeepMind’s mission and strategy, focusing on the ethical and social implications of AI research. Under his leadership, DeepMind forged partnerships with healthcare institutions to explore the application of AI in medical diagnosis and treatment. DeepMind was acquired by Google in 2014. In 2022, Suleyman co-founded a new venture lab called Inflection AI. Its chatbot, Pi, which stands for “Personal intelligence,” is meant to serve as a personal assistant for users.

Suleyman’s views on AI and technology reflect a complex understanding of their potential benefits and risks. He argues that he believes in the power of technology to address pressing global challenges, such as healthcare disparities and climate change. However, he also warns of the potential consequences of unchecked technological advancement, including job displacement, privacy concerns, and the misuse of AI for nefarious purposes. He advocates for responsible AI development and emphasizes the importance of robust regulatory frameworks to ensure that technology serves humanity’s best interests.

In contrast to many prominent technologists, including techno-optimists who espouse a utopian vision of technology-driven progress, Suleyman claims to adopt a more cautious approach, acknowledging the complexities and uncertainties inherent in technological innovation. He contrasts his views with those of libertarian figures like Peter Thiel, who advocate for minimal government intervention and emphasize the primacy of individual freedom. Suleyman contends that governments play a crucial role in regulating and controlling the trajectory of technological advancement, citing the need for strong, empowered governance to address the challenges posed by the coming wave of technology. Drawing from his experiences in government and technology, Suleyman offers a pragmatic perspective that emphasizes the importance of balancing innovation with accountability.