SoftBank's Masayoshi Son says ASI could be 10,000 times smarter, making humans 'like fish'

SoftBank CEO Predicts Artificial Intelligence Will Dwarf Human Capabilities

Masayoshi Son, the billionaire CEO of SoftBank and major investor in OpenAI, delivered a stark vision of humanity's future during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Seoul on Friday. The tech conglomerate leader predicted that artificial super intelligence could become 10,000 times smarter than humans, fundamentally altering the relationship between people and machines 1

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. Son, whose SoftBank has been ramping up investments in artificial intelligence through a multibillion-dollar partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI, used a striking analogy to illustrate the potential cognitive gap 3

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. "The difference between the human brain and the goldfish in the pot—the difference is 10,000 times," he explained, before adding, "But it's going to be different—we will become fish, they (the AI) become like humans" 1

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ASI Timeline and the Path Through AGI

Son emphasized that the arrival of ASI is not a question of if, but when, signaling his conviction that super AI surpasses human intelligence inevitably 3

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. While ASI remains a hypothetical scenario where AI overtakes humans, scientists view artificial general intelligence (AGI)—which would outperform humans across most tasks—as a crucial first step that could arrive within a decade 1

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. The SoftBank founder, who has previously declared himself "all in" on artificial superintelligence, compared the future relationship between ASI and humanity to how humans treat their pets: "We try to make them happy... we try to live in peace with them," he said, adding reassuringly that "ASI does not eat protein. They don't need to eat us—don't worry" .

Nobel Prize Ambitions and Cultural Concerns

When President Lee asked whether ASI could win a Nobel Prize in Literature—an award South Korean author Han Kang received last year—Son replied confidently, "I think it will" 1

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. Lee responded laughing that he was "a bit concerned now," adding, "I do not believe this is a desirable situation" 2

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. This exchange highlighted growing anxieties about AI advancement potentially displacing uniquely human achievements in creative and intellectual domains.

South Korea's Push to Become an AI Powerhouse

The meeting comes as South Korea intensifies efforts to establish itself as an AI powerhouse, with Lee stating his administration's goal to be one of the "top three superpowers for AI" 3

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. This push rests heavily on the country's existing strength in chip-making and semiconductors, particularly in the memory space. On Friday, the South Korean government and Arm, the SoftBank-owned fabless chip maker, announced plans to explore establishing a school in the country to train approximately 1,400 professionals in chip-making and AI engineering skills 3

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. Son urged South Korea to expand its data center network necessary for ASI and called for stronger efforts to secure the energy required to power them 3

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Building an AI-Based Society Through Regional Cooperation

Lee asked Son to lead AI advancement in Asia and provide guidance on AI-related laws, emphasizing the importance of AI cooperation between Korea and Japan 3

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. "There is a very important area of cooperation that we are pursuing—that is AI cooperation between Korea and Japan," Lee said. "I would like to ask for your assistance to play a bridging role in our future efforts" 3

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. The president outlined his vision for an AI-based society where the technology becomes basic infrastructure similar to roads or water management systems, stating, "My government will make efforts to minimize the risks while we invest heavily on the benefits" 3

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. In October, Nvidia struck multiple deals with South Korea's biggest companies to deploy its chips across the country, forming part of the government's push to become an AI hub 3

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. Son's visit underscores how nations are growing more concerned about relying on countries like China and the U.S. for AI—a technology increasingly viewed as critical to economic and national security.