Robert Tarjan, the 1986 Turing laureate and American computer scientist, has urged a more measured approach to artificial intelligence development, saying that moving faster does not necessarily lead to better outcomes and that societies should take time to weigh AI's benefits against its potential harms.
Tarjan made the remarks during an interview with China Global Television Network in Beijing, where he is attending the 2026 International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS).
The event, which kicked off on Sunday and runs through August 21, has brought together leading scientists from around the world to discuss the latest breakthroughs and pressing challenges in basic science.
As competition intensifies between the United States and China in AI, the two nations are taking distinctly different paths. The U.S. is focused on achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) by developing massive models backed by extensive computing power, with the aim of leading in breakthrough innovation. China, meanwhile, emphasizes "AI plus," integrating AI technology with industry and society to maximize benefits for a broader population.
Commenting on these different approaches, Tarjan invoked the classic tortoise-and-hare fable, saying, "In this race, the fastest doesn't always win."
Asked about the potential risks and benefits, Tarjan said, "On the one hand, which approach is producing the most damage? And on the other hand, which approach is producing the most value to society? So we’re getting benefits, and there are going to be harms, and we’ll have to weigh the two somehow. We can take our time and be slow, actually. Maybe we just need to slow down, think about these issues. We don’t need to be in such a hurry."
The scientist also reflected on technology's broader social impact, questioning whether advances meant to improve people's lives have instead contributed to longer working hours and arguing that the wealth generated by technology should be shared more widely.
"Back in the 1950s, when I was a small child, there was this idea that technology was going to give everyone lots of leisure time. But somehow, all these technologies have only forced people to work more and more and more. But we have the resources to allow people to have more free time, actually. So maybe we need to redesign things a little bit to share all this wealth that is getting generated by the technologies to not require people to work full-time in order to support themselves. Maybe we should return to this ideal where you don't spend your entire life doing nothing, but you don't have to work so hard. Then people have a little more time to work on the things that they love," he said.
Turing laureate Robert Tarjan urges caution in AI race
