Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was asked Monday about the upcoming 50th anniversary of the tech company on April 1. Appearing on CNN, Woz was in a reflective mood, talking about how proud he was of Apple and what it’s become. But when he was asked about the future, and especially AI, he seemed to give some answers CNN wasn’t expecting.
Woz said that it seems like everyone is trying to “make a brain” with AI but that everyone knows how to make a brain in a process that “takes nine months.” The tech legend was clearly making a joke about how humans gestating for nine months is the only way to properly create one.
“I don’t use AI much at all, but I’ve asked it a few questions to test it,” said Wozniak. “Now I’ll ask a question where one word is the key item, the direction I want to go, and AI will come back with a whole bunch of clear explanations that are on the subject, but not what I really was interested in.”
Woz went on to say that it might be “hard to explain,” what he was getting at, but “I often read things and they just sound too dry and too perfect, and I want something from a human being, and I’m disappointed a lot.”
The CNN host didn’t seem deterred by Woz’s negative perspective and seemed to barrel right ahead with questions that had been pre-planned, perhaps assuming he may have been more receptive to the idea that AI would be revolutionizing technology in a positive way.
“Do you think that it can get better and ultimately replace humans in some regards?” the CNN host asked.
Woz replied that all things get better, but added, “I’ve seen no sign yet that we understand well enough how the brain works to get to that point that it replaces the human; has emotions; cares about things; wants to help others; wants to be a good person.”
“No, I don’t I don’t see any signs of that yet,” he continued. “You can’t say something can’t happen though and with technology.”
Woz went on to say that “some day maybe it could be really smart” and it may even be able to “understand you the way another human would.” But he explained that it “hasn’t lived a human life” which he feels is necessary to “understand what humans are going through to sometimes catch those little nuances in the way you speak.”