Jack Ma comments on ChatGPT, AI in the digital era

A response by ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, is seen on its website in this illustration picture taken Feb 9, 2023. [Photo/Agencies]

Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, said technologies such as ChatGPT have brought challenges to education and ChatGPT is only the beginning of the AI era.

Ma made the remarks while visiting Yungu School, a private school he founded in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on Monday, the school said in an online post.

Ma said human beings need to use AI to solve problems, rather than being controlled by AI.

Human brawn and brains may not match those of machines, but machines only have chips, while humans have "heart", Ma said.

Ma said while the industrial era is knowledge-driven and characterized by knowledge-focused competition, the digital era is driven by wisdom and competition in creativity and imagination, as well as competition for leadership, accountability, responsibility and independent thinking.