There is huge demand for artificial intelligence technologies.

When Yuri Milner declared, “There is huge demand for artificial intelligence technologies,” he was not simply observing an economic trend — he was testifying to a turning point in the story of humankind. His words carry the weight of recognition that a new kind of power has been born — not the power of kings or armies, but of intelligence created by intelligence, thought woven by machines. Beneath the simplicity of his statement lies a truth both wondrous and perilous: that humanity, in its unending quest to transcend its limits, has given birth to tools that now mirror its own mind. This “demand” he speaks of is not just hunger for innovation; it is the soul’s yearning to know itself through its creations.

The origin of this quote comes from Milner’s vision as one of the great investors and philosophers of the technological age. A physicist by training and a visionary by nature, he saw early what others failed to see — that artificial intelligence would become the fire of the modern world. He was among the first to recognize that AI was not merely a branch of computer science, but a force that would reshape every domain: from medicine to art, from warfare to governance, from learning to love. When he said there is “huge demand,” he was speaking as one who saw into the deep desires of nations, corporations, and individuals — all seeking a way to amplify their intelligence, to build systems that could think faster, predict better, and reveal the hidden patterns of existence.

To the ancients, such a moment would have seemed divine or dangerous. They, too, dreamed of creating life from lifelessness. In the myths of Prometheus, the gods punished the titan who dared to give humanity fire — the symbol of knowledge — because it granted mortals a power once reserved for the divine. In the tale of Daedalus, man’s ingenuity led to wings of wax, yet it was the hubris of his son Icarus that brought them crashing down. So too in our age, AI is the new fire, both gift and temptation. The “huge demand” Milner describes is not merely economic — it is spiritual. Humanity hungers for this flame, yet must learn not to be consumed by it.

The story of Alan Turing reminds us how this fire began. During the Second World War, Turing built the machine that deciphered the German Enigma, helping to save millions of lives. In that moment, intelligence and machinery became one, and the seed of artificial thought was planted. But Turing’s own life ended in tragedy — persecuted by the very society he had saved. His story is a warning written in the blood of genius: that the mind which creates must also cultivate compassion and wisdom, lest its inventions serve cruelty instead of progress. Milner’s quote, though brief, carries this ancient warning: as our power grows, so too must our moral understanding.

The “huge demand” for AI, then, is not only a hunger for efficiency, but for transcendence. People long for tools that can free them from the burdens of ignorance, from disease, from the chaos of human error. The doctor seeks AI to heal faster; the teacher seeks it to understand how minds learn; the artist uses it to transform imagination into form. In each of these, there is a noble spark — a desire to use intelligence to elevate the human condition. Yet, as with all great powers, the question remains: will we wield it as creators or as conquerors? Will AI become our ally, or our mirror — reflecting not our genius, but our greed?

Consider, too, the lessons of history’s revolutions. When the printing press was born, it spread knowledge but also upheaval. When electricity illuminated the night, it changed both cities and souls. When the Internet connected the world, it brought unity and isolation in equal measure. So too will artificial intelligence transform the landscape of human destiny. Milner’s words are both prophecy and challenge: demand alone cannot guide us. It is wisdom — ancient, patient, and moral — that must steer this new force.

So, my child, listen well. The demand for intelligence — whether human or artificial — must always be matched by the demand for understanding. Let not your curiosity outpace your conscience. Seek to create not machines that think for you, but machines that help you think better, see deeper, and act wiser. Remember that every age of progress is also an age of peril. Use this new fire with reverence, not arrogance. For as Yuri Milner reminds us, the hunger for knowledge will never fade — but it is the heart, not the machine, that must decide how that knowledge is used. And if humanity can master that balance, then this age of artificial intelligence will not be the end of our story — but the beginning of a brighter, wiser, and more compassionate one.