Google co-founder’s letter focuses on the dangers and promises of A.I.

The annual Google founders’ letters provide insight into the minds that lead one of the world’s largest tech firms. Google co-founder and current Alphabet president Sergey Brin wrote this year’s letter. Brin briefly mentioned Etherum and the cryptocurrency boom, but a highlight of the letter was the rise of artificial intelligence, which he called the “most significant development in computing in my lifetime.”

Brin noted that when Google was first founded, A.I. and neural networks were largely viewed as little more than relics in the history of computer science. Today Google and other companies use A.I. for everything from photo analysis to translation services.

“Every month, there are stunning new applications and transformative new techniques,” Brin wrote. “In this sense, we are truly in a technology renaissance.”

The growth of A.I. is not without its problems. Brin mentioned that tech companies have a responsibility to ensure A.I. is used in an ethical manner. He also cautioned readers to be mindful of some of the downsides of advanced A.I. and automation, such as job losses across various industries and the protection of privacy.