Pascal Kaufmann, Founder, Starmind & The Co-Founder And President, Mindfire Foundation

What does AI mean to you? Is it the futuristic promise of machines mirroring human cognition, or is it simply a label slapped onto statistical algorithms and automated processes? In the realm of artificial intelligence, perceptions vary widely. Some envision a world where robots seamlessly replace humans in every task, while others question whether technology can ever truly emulate the complexities of human thought. Amidst the buzz surrounding AI, there’s a voice that resonates differently —one that challenges conventional notions and propels us to ponder the true nature of intelligence. And at the forefront of this discourse stands Pascal Kaufmann, a Neuro scientist-turned-entrepreneur & founder of Starmind and the Co-Founder and President at Mindfire Foundation.

Born in Zurich, Switzerland, Pascal spent many years in labs creating self-learning algorithms and some of the first cyborgs by connecting living brains to machines. With a Master’s Degree in Neuroscience and Economics from top-tier institutions, Kaufmann dove into the world of AI research, founding Starmind, a tech startup connecting employees’ know-how within large corporations and making it accessible to every employee. It’s like a super-organism constituted by thousands of human brains dedicated to sharing know-how. This venture paved the way for groundbreaking self-learning knowledge networks, earning him multiple AI patents. But Kaufmann’s ambitions didn’t stop there. In 2017, he founded the Mindfire group, which uses self-learning technology to connect AI enthusiasts outside of large companies, giving rise to the largest artificial intelligence lab in the world. Kaufmann’s vision is simple: to empower humanity through AI breakthroughs.

Pascal’s Take on True Artificial Intelligence

Pascal sees things differently when it comes to what we call “AI.” “I don’t believe that current technologies deserve the label AI. In my view, people are confusing the meaning of AI with statistics, automation, or brute force computation. Take WhatsApp or Google as examples, the algorithm seems smart, but basically, they run on simple statistic rules. This is the case for many B2C tech products,” asserts Pascal.

“As a neuroscientist, I have a different perspective on what intelligence really means. If the algorithm needs 300 billion pictures of cats to determine whether it’s a cat, a horse, or a cow, I don’t find that particularly intelligent,” he adds.

To him, real artificial intelligence should be about more than just crunching big data; it should think creatively, solve problems, and adapt to new situations—just like humans do. He believes true intelligence is about more than just processing power; it’s about understanding and learning from small amounts of information, something machines struggle with. He compares it to how we play chess, where we use our knowledge to handle new situations. Until machines can do that without relying on human instructions, he says we shouldn’t call it AI. However, Kaufmann does recognize the benefits of statistics and automation, acknowledging their potential to improve businesses and society. But he warns against rushing to label them as AI without fully understanding what true intelligence entails.

Exploring the Potential: Robots vs. Humans

When asked about whether robots could replace humans, Pascal believes it’s a possibility worth exploring. “Definitely, I think it will be a great world and a great future if humans don’t need to work anymore. We should give all the boring and repetitive jobs and tasks to machines to alleviate humans.” he muses. He challenges the notion that humans are always more sensitive than machines. Drawing from his experience, Pascal highlights how even seasoned salespeople may miss subtle cues in human interactions. But what if machines could detect emotions with precision, even better than humans?

He points out how technology, like sensors in our blood veins, could enable machines to understand human desires and needs even better than some people can. For Pascal, the future isn’t about machines replacing humans, but about humans and machines collaborating to unlock new possibilities. He envisions a world where robots exhibit more sensitivity and humanity than many biological beings. In this scenario, he sees humans playing a crucial role as the architects of AI, guiding its development with the right questions while machines provide solutions. He also advocates for a revolution in how we approach knowledge and science. Scientists spend decades sifting through vast quantities of papers, grasping only a fraction of the insights within their fields. Pascal believes that if these intelligent machines could shoulder the burden of data analysis and synthesis, the pace of scientific progress would undoubtedly accelerate, leading us to a new era of innovation and societal advancement.

Empowering Humans through Collective and Artificial Intelligence

A visionary thinker and entrepreneur, Pascal sees the global race for AI as a pivotal challenge of our time. In his view, the creation of human-level artificial intelligence shouldn’t be just a product of government initiatives or tech giants, but a creation by and for the people. With this vision in mind, he founded Mindfire– a platform by the people and for the people, aiming to harness the potential of AI to tackle today’s toughest problems. At Mindfire, great minds unite across disciplines, from computer science to neuroscience, to push the boundaries of AI and human collaboration.

Established in 2017, the Mindfire Foundation, nestled in Switzerland, embodies the country’s values of responsibility and trust, leveraging its reputation as a hub of scientific and technological innovation. It operates with two clear objectives: to push the boundaries of AI to empower humans and to foster a more human-centric approach to technology. By applying artificial intelligence to fields such as medicine, engineering, economics, and social sciences, they aim to revolutionize scientific breakthroughs. Moreover, Mindfire aims to create the world’s most powerful collective intelligence network to solve challenges for businesses and scientific organizations. They coin these challenges as “Quests”—complex problems that can be solved through the power of collaborative thinking. Each Quest is coordinated by a project leader or Quest Master. No matter how different the Quests are, they all share one goal: to make the world a better place through collective intelligence.

Rethinking Leadership in an AI-Driven World

In Pascal’s view, as a business leader gearing up for an AI-dominated future, it’s crucial to understand the nuances between automation, digitalization, and true artificial intelligence. He acknowledges that while automation and digitalization are prevalent today, true AI capable of human-like intelligence remains a distant goal. In this transitional phase, Pascal advises fellow business leaders to discern what tasks can and should be automated while remaining pragmatic about the current state of AI technology.

He doesn’t buy into the notion that once AI reaches human-like levels, leaders would be out of a job. Instead, Pascal sees it as a positive shift, where tasks can be efficiently handled by machines, freeing up human capital for more creative endeavors. However, he acknowledges that we’re not quite there yet. “In my view, there is no AI today as we don’t yet understand the principles of intelligence. All that we see and discuss in particular in the media is (brute force) automation. It is wise to understand what can and should be automated and what not, in particular for a business leader,” affirms Pascal.

Steering AI toward Greater Benefits for All

Pascal is a huge fan of the science fiction movie “HER” starring Joaquin Phoenix. In the film, a man falls for an operating system that can mimic love, keeping him engaged in a virtual relationship. Pascal thinks such a concept could be helpful for all those people craving a romantic relationship in the real world. He also sees immense potential for AI in healthcare. “When I approach my doctor with green dots on my face, the doctor opens a huge book to determine whether the symptoms are described in that book or not. We need to revolutionize the medical sector, in particular, we could delegate very significant research work to machines which would progress the health tech field much faster than humans,” elucidates Pascal.

Concerned about the future of our planet, Pascal also suggests exploring other habitable planets. He thinks AI could accelerate space exploration and scientific discovery, which might be crucial for humanity’s survival. He predicts that the race for AI dominance will be decided in the current decade due to the rapid advancement of communication technology. With access to vast amounts of knowledge, people can become global influencers, potentially unlocking the secrets of intelligence and ushering in a new era of progress.

Drawing parallels to ancient times, Pascal reflects on humanity’s historical encounters with fire. In ancient times, humans huddled around fires, debating its merits and dangers much like we do today with AI. Some feared fire’s destructive potential and advocated for its extinction, while others saw its potential for good if understood and controlled. In the end, humanity chose to tame and master fire for its benefit. Likewise, Pascal believes we must approach AI with the same mindset. Despite uncertainties and risks, we cannot halt progress. Instead, we must strive to understand and harness the potential of AI for the greater good. With scientists worldwide working together, Pascal predicts a qualitative breakthrough on the horizon, possibly within the next few years. By understanding and responsibly integrating AI, he believes we can unlock its potential to benefit mankind.