In a candid discussion with The Associated Press, Marissa Mayer, former CEO of Yahoo and a notable figure in the tech industry, discussed her latest venture, Sunshine, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup she co-founded in 2018. Sunshine aims to simplify everyday tasks using AI, starting with a mobile app for managing contacts. Mayer believes in the potential of AI to streamline mundane activities.
“Our thesis for the company is there are just a lot of mundane tasks that just get in the way,” she said. “We think by applying AI — not even necessarily in cutting edge ways — you can both solve valuable problems and you can give people back time. You can also build their confidence in AI.”
Mayer’s new app, Sunshine, operates on both iPhone and Android devices, enhancing users’ contact lists by analyzing email interactions and suggesting additions based on frequent correspondences. This service, after an initial free period, offers expanded features for a monthly fee, leveraging AI to enrich users’ social and professional networks without manual input.
However, Mayer expressed cautious optimism about AI’s future, acknowledging its immense potential alongside significant risks. She articulated a concern that as AI technologies approach human intelligence, distinguishing between authentic human interaction and machine-generated responses could become increasingly challenging.
“[…] We are starting to get close to technologies that approximate human intelligence,” said Mayer. “When you have people who can’t tell what’s real anymore and what’s authentic because the machine intelligence is now approximating the human intelligence, that is really the biggest risk.”
Through Sunshine, Mayer continues to contribute to the tech world, focusing on AI’s practical applications while navigating its ethical implications. Her insights offer a glimpse into the ongoing evolution of AI and its potential to reshape our digital and real-world experiences.
Featured image: Melissa Mayer. Credit: Tech Brew
