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South China Morning Post
26-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Alibaba chairman Joe Tsai questions AI's limits, casts doubt on humanoid robots
Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai raised 'philosophical' questions on Wednesday to young entrepreneurs about whether machines could ever surpass human intelligence and cast doubt on the necessity of humanoid robots. Advertisement Speaking at the grand finale of Jumpstarter, an event organised by the Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund designed to promote fresh start-up ideas, Tsai highlighted the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) across industries, saying it is set to benefit society. However, he challenged assumptions about artificial general intelligence (AGI). Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post. 'How do you define 'smarter than human beings'?' Tsai asked the audience, noting that while AI can handle maths and coding much faster than human brains, it lacks the emotional intelligence, or emotional quotient (EQ), and compassion that define human interactions. 'All the positive encounters that you have with people that you love, people that you really enjoy spending time with, that judgment, that data, how does the machine capture that data in order to train AI to replicate the positive energy?' Tsai cited his experience in educating his children about interacting with others, making friends and expressing emotions in an appropriate way. None of this, he said, is captured in training data. Advertisement 'So without training data from the parents, I am not sure how we train the machine to make them 'smart humans' or 'smarter than human beings' with EQ and compassion,' Tsai said.


South China Morning Post
19-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Jumpstarter 2025: innovating for a brighter future
A new role for artificial intelligence (AI) will be unveiled this month at one of Asia's leading tech and start-up events. The aim is to make AI a powerful catalyst for sustainable development, and more than just a revolutionary technology that changes the way we work. Advertisement Jumpstarter, a start-up initiative by Alibaba Entrepreneurs Fund (AEF), focuses on providing a platform for entrepreneurs and young people to kick-start their business ambitions in Hong Kong. This year's event, on March 26 and 27 at AsiaWorld Expo, will bring together entrepreneurs, corporations and investors to explore the future of innovation. Amid growing concerns about the environment across the world, the theme of this year's edition – the seventh Jumpstarter – is AI and sustainability, highlighting companies that are committed to blending innovation with responsibility. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and sustainability from thought leaders, including a diverse line-up of more than 100 speakers from around the world. Keynote speeches and panel discussions will focus on the most pressing aspects of AI, such as its ethical implications and its role in sustainability, entrepreneurship and investment. 'This year we will delve into a 360-degree overview of AI,' says Cindy Chow, executive director and CEO of AEF. 'The discussions are expected to inspire innovative thinking and encourage participants to explore collaborative solutions to the challenges they face, fostering a deeper understanding of AI's impact on society and the economy.' Over the past 10 years AEF has invested US$93 million to help fund 76 companies. Speakers will include Joe Tsai, co-founder and chairman of Alibaba Group, which owns the South China Morning Post; Ben Barone-Nugent, generative AI supergroup lead at Canva; and Erika Cheung, executive director of Ethics in Entrepreneurship. Cheung was one of the whistle-blowers in the controversy surrounding the now-defunct healthcare tech start-up Theranos. Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po will welcome attendees during his opening speech, highlighting the city's strategic role in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship. Advertisement Since its launch in 2015, AEF has reviewed more than 13,000 business plans and created over 2,200 jobs in Hong Kong. A core part of its mission is to connect promising start-ups with investment capital and offer strategic guidance to help them grow their business through high-impact networking opportunities. A one-on-one business matchmaking session during the event will give tech entrepreneurs, businesses and investors – including venture capitalists and angel investors – a platform to exchange ideas and discuss potential partnership opportunities.