A tech CEO faces criticism for his controversial family planning decision.
Most people consider the usual factors of financial stability, career timing or finding the right partner before discussing parenthood. Some might wait for a promotion or a bigger house. But one tech executive has taken family planning to an entirely different level, and his reasoning has left the internet baffled.
Alexandr Wang is the 28-year-old CEO and co-founder of Scale AI, a data platform that provides training data for AI models for giants like OpenAI and Microsoft.
The young tech executive became one of the world's youngest self-made billionaires and recently transitioned to lead Meta's superintelligence initiatives.
Advert
During his appearance on the Shawn Ryan Show, Wang discussed his journey from MIT to his current position, the application of AI in military strategy and warfare, and even extraterrestrial life.
But it wasn't his predictions or drop-out journey that got people talking, but rather his approach to parenthood.
"I want to wait to have kids until we figure out how Neuralink or other brain-computer interfaces [...] start working," Wang said in the interview.
Earlier this year, Elon Musk's Neuralink hit a major milestone when patients who previously couldn't speak were able to compose and send tweets using nothing but their thoughts after getting the brain implant.
Because children's brains are more neuroplastic than adult brains, Wang explained that if children grow up with brain-computer interfaces from day one, they'll be able to use this technology in 'crazy' ways.
He added that humans and 'biology' evolves very slow in comparison to the rate that AI is advancing. As such, the young billionaire believes humans need the 'ability to tap into AI' to keep up.
"Eventually, we're going to need some interlink or hookup between our brains directly to AI and the internet," Wang explained.
Wang mentioned he does understand the risks, saying: 'It is potentially dangerous [...] but we just are gonna have to do it' if humans are to 'remain relevant.'
However, over on Reddit, people are slamming the tech expert for what they view as a complete disconnect from reality.
"I'm excited about this tech but holy s***, installing it in a baby is a huge leap and needs to wait until we have thoroughly vetted it," one user wrote.
"This is such a perfect example of how CEOs of billion dollar AI companies are just as clueless about the future and capabilities of future tech as the rest of us," another added.
"It's like he's twisting a narrative to get people more engaged with science fiction instead of addressing reality," someone else commented.
Others are calling out the irony of AI company CEOs and their approach to parenthood, replying: "I guess he took a page from Elon’s Book Of Parenting."
Musk, who’s said to have around 14 children, has made some pretty controversial comments about how he plans to build a 'legion' of kids 'before the apocalypse,' using surrogates to do so.