The internet and smartphones have changed the world and how we relate to each other. Instead of meeting in person, we increasingly interface through handheld devices. In a sense, real people are being removed, replaced by technology and virtual friends. Some people even say that they prefer to confide in their virtual friends rather than their real friends!
互联网和智能手机改变了世界，改变了我们之间的关系。我们不再需要面对面，而是越来越多地通过手持设备进行交互。在从某种意义上说，真实的人正在被科技和虚拟朋友所取代。有些人甚至更愿意向虚拟朋友倾诉，而不是真正的朋友！
AI, or artificial intelligence, is another technology that is highly disruptive. With AI, smartphone and other devices will have even more capabilities.They will be able to converse with us and tell us jokes. They may even become personal tutors, and replace our online human tutors.They will be able to do this because they will have access to our life histories. They will know what kind of problems we have, our preferences, and any content we want to learn or practice,they will be able to adapt to our needs and be available at any time. And all this will be at less cost than using a human.
AI（人工智能）是另一种极具破坏性的技术。有了AI，智能手机和其他设备将具有更多的能力。它们能和我们交谈，讲笑话，甚至可以成为私人导师，取代我们的在线人力资源导师。它们之所以可以做这些因为它们可以访问我们的生活史，它们知道我们的问题，我们的喜好，以及我们想学习或实践的任何内容，它们能够适应我们的需要，并且随时可用，所有这些都比使用人的成本低。
In fact, the substitution of AIs for human labor has the potential to transform our world. Experts warn that smart machines may cause widespread unemployment. Many workers will become redundant, replaced by machines that can perform cognitive tasks better than people. An even greater danger is that they will develop personalities and become more interesting than people.Work is already underway to produce AI companions for lonely people.
事实上，AI取代人类劳动有可能改变我们的世界。专家警告说，智能机器可能导致大范围失业，大量工人将变得多余，取而代之的是比人更能执行认知任务的机器。一个更大的危险是，它们将开发个性，变得比人更有趣。为孤独的人生产AI伴侣的工作已经开始。
Are these development something to worry about or something to welcome? How are they different than developments in the past, such as the industrial revolution? Cars replaced horses; machines and industrial robots replaced factory workers.
这些发展是值得担心还是值得欢迎？它们与过去的发展有什么不同，比如工业革命？汽车取代了马；机器和工业机器人取代了工厂工人。
Since the shift to AI is inevitable, the challenge for policy makers will be to help existing workers acquire new skills. Future generations must be prepared for a workplace populated by AIs that will continue to develop and take on new tasks. Are we up to the task?
由于向AI的转变不可避免，决策者面临的挑战将是帮助现有工人获得新技能。新一代必须为一个由继续发展并承担新任务的AI所组成的工作场所做好准备。我们能胜任这项任务吗？