Meta CEO argues for widespread AI access to fuel entrepreneurship and support inventions #
As the debate over artificial intelligence posing risks to humanity grows increasingly polarised, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg is pushing back against one of the technology industry's most common predictions: that AI will eliminate millions of jobs.
In a recent op-ed, Zuckerberg argued that the future of AI depends less on the technology itself and more on who controls it. Rather than concentrating advanced AI in the hands of governments or powerful corporations, he believes widespread access to what he calls 'personal superintelligence' will create new opportunities, fuel entrepreneurship, and ultimately generate more jobs instead of replacing them.
Zuckerberg's argument directly challenges what he describes as the 'doom narrative' surrounding AI. The CEO said he found it surprising that many of the people building AI simultaneously warn that it could eliminate most jobs and diminish humanity's role. According to Zuckerberg, it makes little sense to actively build a technology if one genuinely believes it will produce such catastrophic outcomes.
Instead, Zuckerberg believes AI should become a tool that empowers individuals. 'I propose a philosophy based on individual empowerment as the source of prosperity, invention as the primary purpose of superintelligence, and balance of power as the foundation of safety,' he wrote.
He argued that history offers numerous examples where transformative innovations emerged from ordinary people rather than established institutions. From the Wright brothers' bicycle shop to inventors working outside traditional academic systems and entrepreneurs building companies from garages, Zuckerberg said that major breakthroughs often come from giving individuals powerful tools and the freedom to innovate.
AI's Greatest Contribution Will Be Invention #
Rather than viewing AI primarily as an automation engine, Zuckerberg believes its greatest contribution will be invention. Early AI systems excelled at answering questions and handling repetitive tasks, but he argues future generations of AI will increasingly help people discover entirely new knowledge, which could accelerate medical research, identify treatments for diseases, develop new scientific discoveries, or help entrepreneurs solve business challenges. In all, Zuckerberg argued the long-term economic value of AI extends far beyond replacing routine work.
'Humanity has witnessed many transformative advances. Each time there is fear that people will be left behind. But each time humanity has come out with more people sharing greater prosperity, health and freedom,' according to Zuckerberg.
However, the future of employment will depend on how AI is deployed. If businesses focus exclusively on automation, the technology could indeed have a negative effect on jobs and economic growth. However, if advanced AI is widely distributed and used to expand people's capabilities instead of simply replacing workers, Zuckerberg believes the opposite will happen.
AI Will Make It Super Easy to Set Up Businesses #
Zuckerberg predicted that AI would dramatically lower the barriers to starting businesses. Entrepreneurs may no longer need significant financial backing to launch companies because advanced AI systems could perform tasks that previously required large teams or specialised expertise. As a result, Zuckerberg expects the economy to become more entrepreneurial, with more people running or working at smaller businesses instead of relying on large corporations for employment.
Another central theme of Zuckerberg's essay is the concentration of power. He argues that allowing only a few organisations to possess superintelligent AI would give them enormous influence over science, economics, politics, and society.
He also warned that concentrating AI power in a small number of institutions under the assumption that only they can safely control it poses its own risks, arguing that history has shown centralised power rarely produces the best outcomes for society.
While Zuckerberg acknowledges that advanced AI presents genuine risks, including cybersecurity and biological threats, he argues these challenges should be managed through a combination of broad access, responsible deployment, and targeted government coordination where necessary. Overall, he remains optimistic that if AI development prioritises individual empowerment, open inquiry, entrepreneurship, and balanced access, the technology can become the most significant engine of economic opportunity in modern history. Rather than making people less relevant, Zuckerberg believes widely distributed superintelligence could help create a future with more businesses, more innovation, and ultimately, more jobs.
'Developing superintelligence will be the most profound technological advance we will see in our lifetimes,' Zuckerberg concluded.
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