Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently stirred controversy with some bold advice he gave to Stanford University students. During a lecture, Schmidt suggested that if TikTok were ever banned in the U.S., students should use AI to create a copy of the app, steal its users and even its music. He even suggested that students should "hire a whole bunch of lawyers to clean the mess up" if their version of TikTok became successful.
Don't Miss:
- Here’s the AI-powered startup that turns traders into influencers achieving 12% monthly growth – invest in it at only 10 cents per share.
- This startup’s stem cell research aims to reduce reliance on animal testing — Sees 55% uptick in YTD sales and only costs $3 per share for early investors.
- Don’t miss out on the next Nvidia – you can invest in the future of AI for only $10.
In his talk, Schmidt discussed the rapid advancements in AI and how powerful these tools have become. He painted a picture of a future where AI could be used to replicate apps like TikTok almost instantly. "Say to your LLM the following: Make me a copy of TikTok, steal all the users, steal all the music, put my preferences in it, produce this program in the next 30 seconds, release it and in one hour, if it's not viral, do something different along the same lines. That's the command. Boom, boom, boom, boom," he said.
Trending: Will Cannabis and Psilocybin drug development lead the way in disrupting the $678 billion pharmaceutical industry? This start up is betting on it and you can be an early investor too, with just $250 for under $2/share
Later in the talk, Schmidt tried to explain his thoughts and reassured the students that as long as they had lawyers to handle any legal issues, they'd be fine. In his own words, “If it took off, then you’d hire a bunch of lawyers to clean the mess up, right? But if nobody uses your product, it doesn’t matter that you stole all the content.”
Schmidt's comments reflect a common attitude in Silicon Valley, where moving fast and breaking things is often viewed as a way to get ahead. However, this approach has also landed some companies in hot water.
Trending: Groundbreaking trading app with a ‘Buy-Now-Pay-Later' feature for stocks tackles the $644 billion margin lending market – here’s how to get equity in it with just $100
His suggestion also crosses both legal and ethical lines. Stealing intellectual property is against the law and simply wrong, no matter how easy technology makes it. Encouraging this kind of behavior not only goes against fair competition but also puts people and companies at serious legal risk.
In the same talk, he criticized Google's focus on work-life balance and remote work, saying it was causing the company to fall behind more aggressive startups like OpenAI. He implied that they’re pushing harder and working longer hours to stay ahead in the AI race.
Trending: Amid the ongoing EV revolution, previously overlooked low-income communities now harbor a huge investment opportunity at just $500.
However, Schmidt didn't stick to this stance for long. After the talk, he walked back his comments. In an email to The Wall Street Journal, Schmidt said, "I misspoke about Google and its work hours. I regret my error."
Nevertheless, the Alphabet Workers Union posted on X, "Flexible work arrangements don't slow down our work. Understaffing, shifting priorities, constant layoffs, stagnant wages and lack of follow-through from management on projects – these factors slow Google workers down every day."
The controversial Stanford talk isn’t available on the Stanford Online YouTube channel anymore because, according to Schmidt, he asked for it to be taken down. This led to a so-called Streisand effect, as numerous copies are now available online, with many amassing tens of thousands of views.
Read Next:
- This startup aims to convince the FDA that Cannabis and Psilocybin can be a better alternative to synthetic pharmaceuticals on the market. Right now you can can invest in while it’s still less than $2/share.
- Don’t miss the real AI boom – here’s how to use just $10 to invest in high growth private tech companies.
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Comments
Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.
