Some of the greatest learning experience:
BIO
Benny Xian is the founder of Project AI+C. He is a first-generation college graduate and a first-generation immigrant. From low tech to high tech, Benny grew up in a family-owned super low tech business and ended up working with some of the smartest minds in deep technology. It is the contrast between the low tech world (where human inefficiency is considered a feature) and the high tech world (where any inefficiency is considered a bug) which got him to think about humanity (full of inefficiency but warm) and machines (highly efficient but cold). As technology tends to separate us, it has now become his calling to help bring more human to tech.
“The problem isn’t how to make the world more technological. It’s about how to make the world more humane again.”
Through technology ventures, he worked intimately with many brilliant minds in launching world-changing ideas from process simulation (in search of a local minimum using gradient descent), microprocessors (redefining the line between hardware and software), operating system (redefining the OS industry), artificial intelligence (in search of patterns out of data), to AI+C (redefining the line between humans and AI). Based on his experience, one of the most challenging tasks is not developing technology but creating an environment where people can thrive together with each other and with our machines. It is because of this pressing question that led Benny on the path to studying the human side of innovation. Benny believes that the way we think is the driving force behind the technology we create and the type of company we build. It also became the impetus behind Project AI+C with the realization that artificial intelligence without compassion can do more harm than good.
Benny is passionate about building innovative technology ventures from hardware, software, advanced/predictive analytics (AI), consumer, to enterprise. Many of which focused on disruptive innovations coined by Professor Clayton Christensen at Harvard. Previously, he has played key roles from product engineering (Actel), product (Transmeta IPO: TMTA), to operations (Midori Linux developed by Linus Torvalds), to co-founding and investing (BeyondCore – acquired by SalesForce), to creating Voyadi and Project AI+C. After more than ten thousand hours of building technology companies, he recognizes technology by itself isn’t enough in the era of AI. Compassion, as it turns out, is absolutely essential as machines are becoming more human-like.
He graduated from Stanford University with a MS in electrical engineering and a BSEE with high honors from University of Florida. He enjoys contributing to the local community, whether it is mentoring the next generation entrepreneurs, advising technology startups, interviewing high school students applying to Stanford, or giving times to help others in the community. He believes in thriving together - we thrive by helping others to thrive.
QUESTION FOR ChatGPT:
What can you do to help humans to thrive?