Chapter 2

ProfessorYaoarrivedpunctuallyattheWaldorfAstoriainNewYork.Itwasahotelthat,despitetheproliferationofintelligentbuildingswithelaborateecosystemsoverthelastfewdecades,hadmanagedtoclingtoitsageingArtDecocharm.TheWaldorfAstoriawasalandmarkhistoricalbuilding,keptthatwaybyamitteeofinfluentialmembersoftheestablishmenttoprotecttherapidlydisappearingremnantsoftheoldNewYorkcity.Thedigerati,cognoscenti,financiers,politicos,academics,technocratsandthewealthyhaddescendedonthisarchaicpatchtoattendtheWorldTechnologyForum,thebiggestmeetingoffame,moneyandmindsinthemodernworld.

Itwasrainingheavilyoutsideandthecloudshadturnedtoheavygraymolassesshiftingslowlyacrossafeaturelesssky.Nowsafelyinsidetheostentatioushotel,thediminutiveprofessorfoundhimselfweavinghiswaybetweenthesharpSavilleRowsuitsandinternationaldesigneroutfitsofhighsociety.Hefeltlikeacarpoutofwater,tryingtofreeitselffromatangleofweeds.Helookedandfeltoutofplace.HewasasmallbaldingmaninacheapgrayGuangdong-manufacturedpolyester-mixsuitwhostillcouldn’tgetovertheexcitementofwhathadjusthappenedinhisnativeChina.

Outside,alargesectionofParkAvenueanditsadjoiningstreetshadbeencordonedoff,dropletsofraincascadingofftheshinymetalbarricadesandtheplasticribbons.TherewerearmedNYPDcops,carryinganassortmentofstate-of-the-artcrowd-dispersionweaponry,forasfarastheeyecouldsee.Someoftheweaponshadmuzzleslargeenoughforafullgrownmantoclimbinto.Asmallclusterofdemonstratorsstoodwaybackfromthebarriersandthecops,wavingbannersandchantingslogansandgenerallynotlookingtooconfidentaboutbeingabletogettheirmessagesacross.Ifthey’dhadanyhopesofdisruptingtheforum,thosehopeshadbeenquicklyputincheck.Thedemonstratorseyedthecopssuspiciously.

Theprofessor’staxi,ahulkingblackvehicleofthelikehehadneverseenbefore,haddroppedhimofftwoblocksdowntheroad.Hehadbeenforcedtowalktherestoftheway,rainwatercoalescingonhissuit.HehadhadsometroubleexplainingtoacoupleofNYPDofficersonbulkychromeandfiberglasselectricmotorbikesthathewasaninvitedguesttotheforum.Theyhadscrutinizedhissmartcard,eyinghissuitsuspiciously.Oneofthecopshadswipedthesmartcardonawirelessreaderonhiswristandwaitedforthesystemtoqueryaremotedatabaseandebackwitharesult.Theyhadlookedliketheydidn’texpecthimtobeauthenticated.

ProfessorYaohadstartedtosweatinhispolyestersuit,orwasittherainslowlyoozingthroughthesyntheticweave,andhisroundfaceandintelligenteyeshadbegantoshowsomeconcern.Mentally,hecouldtracethedatabasequerysnakingthroughthesystemandkneweverysteptheputerswheretakingtoverifyhisidentity,downtothelastmemoryroutine.Therainwasadarkomen,remindinghimofthedogthathadspentallnighthowlingoutsidehisBeijinghutongtwonightsearlier.

Thenhe’dseenhisphotoflickerontheofficer’swristandwaitedpatientlyasthecopssatisfiedthemselvesthathewasindeedtheauthenticatedentity.Hedislikedtheprobingandthebodysearchingbutwasrelievedwhentheblackpolicemansaidtotheoriental-lookingone,thathewasclean.Ofcoursehewasclean,whothehelldidtheythinktheywherequestioninghispersonalhygiene?Andtheoriental-lookingonecouldhaveshownsomerespectbyaddressinghiminChinese,buttheseAmericanswereallthesame.Theyhadnorespectfortheirelders.

ThenProfessorYaohadwalkedupParkAvenuetowardstheWaldorfAstoria,whichhe’dheardfromhismoreinternationally-mindedcolleaguesatBeijing’sTsinghuaUniversity,wasaveryoldhotel.Thebigelectricswhizzingpastmadehimfeelevenmoreoutofplace.Longlimousinessnakeduptheroad,theirboomerangantennascuttingarcsintheair.Amongtheantlineofvehicleshadbeencarsthelikesofwhichtheprofessorhadneverseenbefore.Theywereostentatiousdisplaysofwealth.Therewereevenafewhybridsrunningondiesel,mushroomsofdarkgrayemissionsblowingoutoftheirexhausts.

ProfessorYaofoundhimselfinthegrandlobbyoftheWaldorf,ferriedbrisklybyaseaofbodiespastahugeornateclocksittingsmackbanginthemiddle.WerethosetheheadsofpastAmericanpresidentsonthebaseoftheclock?ClockswerebadomensandtohavethemsolinkedtodeadAmericanleaderswasonlytemptingfate.Headjustedhisbifocals,whichwereperchedprecariouslyonthebluntedgeofhislargishbutfriendly-lookingnose.Hisbushyblackeyebrowsfurrowedintoarchesandhisforeheadformedaknotashefumbledinhisjacketpocketfortheitinerary.

Smartairbornemicrodirigiblesglidedupintheceilingsabovethecrowdsintermittentlycyclingthroughcorporatesponsorlogos.Computerizedfemalevoicesannouncedthevariousroomswherethetalkswerebeingheld.Hethoughtheheardhisnameoverthedinofchatterandsocialnetworking.ProfessorYaorecognizedafewfacesfromtheinternationalmagazines,corporateCEOs,prize-winningacademics,thecelebrityownersofseveralfamoussoftwarepaniesandananemic-lookingmodelhe’dseenonthebillboardsthatlinedthestreetsofBeijing. Therewerequiteafewfashionmodelsattheforum,extremelythinspecimenswithegosaslargeasthoseenhancedcheststhattheyallseemedtohave.Humanswheregettingridiculousintheirneedforself-expression.Maybetheknowledgehewasheretoimpartwouldmakeeveryonetakeahardlookatthemselvesandthevaluestheyhelddear.

Todaywasthedaythattheworldwouldrealizethathe,ProfessorYaoGuoChuen,hadachievedwhatbillionsofdollarsandgenerationsofAmerica’sbestbrainshadfailedtoachieve.ProfessorYaowasoneoftheworld’spre-eminentauthoritiesonneuralnetworksandartificialintelligence,buttheworldwasnotyetawareofthisfact.Hewasliterallyminutesawayfrombeingpropelledtothetopofhisfieldinternationally.

WhilehiscolleaguesatTsinghuaUniversityhadgainedinternationalrenownwithlucrativepublishingcontractsandtenuresattheworld’sbestuniversitiesandresearchinstitutions,ProfessorYaohadstayedathome,inhismodesthouseinoneofthelastsurvivinghutongsinBeijing,workingforhiscountry.HereceivedagrantfromadepartmentofthePeople’sLiberationArmyaswellasprojectfundingandaccesstosomeofthemostadvancedmilitaryputersforthepurposeofresearchintoAI.Hehadeschewedthelucrativecorporatedirectorshipsandtheconsultingandadvisoryopportunitiesthathadehiswayovertheyears,preferringtostayawayfromsuchdistractions.

ProfessorYao’snamewasnottobefoundinanyinternationalscientificjournalsbutinclassifiedresearchreportsusedbyleadingmilitarythinktanksinNewChina.HewastheprincipalarchitectofNewChina’scyberspace,calledtheWang,andthenewsystemthat,thoughasyetunofficial,hadseenNewChinaquietlytaketheleadinemerginginformationtechnologies.Buteventhatwasnothinginparisonwithhislatestbreakthrough.

Hewastakingabigriskbybeinghere,buttheAIhadconvincedhim,andhecouldn’tpredictwhatfateawaitedhimonhisreturntoNewChina.IthadoccurredtohimthattheAImayhavehadtheulteriormotiveoftakinghimoutofthepicturebuthehadquicklydismissedtheideaasludicrous.Nevertheless,hehadtakenprecautionsandhewasdeterminedtomakehisannouncementtotheinternationalmunityhereinNewYork,beforehandingovertheproductofhisresearchtothePeople’sLiberationArmy.

ThatwayhewouldbelevelingtheplayingfieldofthefuturewhilegivingNewChinajustasmalladvantage.Hewouldgivetheworld’sartificialintelligencemunityenoughinformationtomakethebreakthroughontheirown,afterNewChinahadsecuredallinternationalpatents.Thiswasforthegoodofallhumanity.Hewouldsingle-handedlysoundthetrumpetforaparadigmshiftinhumandevelopmentandachievement.Thesingularitywasonthevergeofshiftingintohighgearandpropellingthehumanraceintoaboldneweraofintelligence.

ProfessorYaowasapatriotwholovedNewChinainawaythatwasdifficultforanon-Chinesetounderstand.Yet,tohavesuchknowledgeinthehandsofonecountryalonewasdangerous.Tohaveitinthehandsofonemanalonewasunspeakable.ProfessorYaoknewthatatthisverymomenthislifewasindanger.Themajor-generalinBeijingwhosesecretfundingresultedinthebreakthroughprobablyalreadyknewhewasgone,althoughitwouldbedifficultforhimtotracehimtotheWorldTechnologyForum.TherewereafewChinesedelegatesattheforum,accordingtotheagenda,butProfessorYaodoubtedanywouldrecognizehimandhewasrelievedtoseethatmostofthemwerefromacademiaorthelowerrungsofthemilitaryresearchapparatus.However,everytimehesawanorientalfacehisheartbeatquickened.

ProfessorYaomadehiswaytowardsagleamingbankofelevators,moppinghisforeheadfranticallywithasmallredhandkerchief.Accordingtotheitinerary,histalkwasatthehotel’sfamedStarlightRoofontheeighteenthfloor.HisfriendDr.JamesJoplin,oftheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology’sComputerScienceandArtificialIntelligenceLab,hadkepthispromisetosecurehimthespaceatshortnotice.NotthathehadmetJoplinpersonally,buthehadseenhispicturesintheinternationalmagazinesandexchangedideasviahundredsofe-mails.Dr.JoplinhadmadehimseveralofferstojoinhimatMIT,butthehumbleprofessorhadpolitelydeclined.

Ahugeplasmascreenabovetheescalatorconfirmedhisitinerary.Hehadaskedforhisnametonotbementionedinthepre-eventliterature.

Venue:TheStarlightRoof

Speaker:ProfessorYaoGuoChuen,HeadoftheArtificialIntelligenceandNanotechnologyCentre,TsinghuaUniversity,Beijing,China

Topic:QuantumComputing:abreakthroughinArtificialIntelligence

Time:2.30PM-3.30PM

Awaveofpridewelledupinhim,whichhemanagedtosuppressquickly.Hewasnotaproudman,buthewashumanandtheoccasionalfeelingofpride,quicklyheldbackandsmotheredwithhumility,wasnotbeyondhim.ProfessorYaoglancedathiswatch–thirtyminutestogo.Heshouldn’thavedonethat.Almostimmediatelyhisheartstartedhammeringawayathischestlikeapneumaticdrill.Thepoundinginhisearswassoloudthathethoughtthepeoplearoundhimcouldhearit.Ifonlyhiswifewasstillalivetohelpcalmhimdown.

Theelevatordoorshissedopenandacrowdofpeoplestreamedout,manyofthemstillwearingtheearphonesoftheplementaryreal-timetranslationsystemsandclutchingitineraries.Allaroundthesoundofvariousconversationsandputerizedvoicespuncturedwithelevatormusic.Therewasexcitementintheair,whichrubbedoffontheprofessor,settlinghimalittle.Miraculously,hewasaloneintheelevatorasitmadeitswayuptotheeighteenthfloor.

ProfessorYaoknewthatthetopicofhisresearchwouldattractalltherightpeople.HehaddeliberatelyeupwithatitlethatwouldbringinthebestmindsinbothArtificialIntelligenceandQuantumComputing.Nanotechnologyhadbeenslowmeetingexpectationsanditwasonlyrecentlythatithadstartedtobearfruitafterdecadesofresearch,trillionsofdollarsandso-called“breakthroughs”.Theideathatitwouldplayanimportantpartintheforeseeablefutureofartificialintelligencehadstartedtoloseresonance.Manyscientists,especiallythosewhowerenotinterestedinitsmedicalapplications,hadalreadygivenuponthefieldasawasteoftime.Youcouldgetatomsandmoleculestobehavelikeminiaturemachinesorgearsbuttheirapplicationswhereprettylimited.Theytendedtobeone-trickponies.

Theprofessorexitedtheelevatorintoaroomsoopulentlydecoratedthathecouldn’thelpbeingimpressed.YouhadtohandittotheAmericans.Theyweremastersofexcess.Everythingfromthemajesticchandeliertotheengravedmarblerotundaandthegildedceilingspokeofanotherera.Already,halfofthetasseledvelvetseatswereoccupied,suggestingthatitwasgoingtobeapackedauditorium.Henoticedthatthemajorityofthepeoplequietlyreadingtheiritinerariesandpeeringintotheirplementaryvideoscreenswerebespectacledgrayhairslikehim.ButDr.JamesJoplinwasnowheretobeseen.He’dsaidhe’dbeintheStarlightRoomhalfanhourearlysothattheycouldhaveaquickchatbeforeProfessorYao’stalk.

Nevertheless,anotherwaveofChinesepride,thisoneslightlylargerthanthelast,welledupinProfessorYao,leavingaburningsensationonhischeeks.Headjustedhisglasses,whichonceagainhadtraveledtotheendofhisnose,andwalkedtowardsthestage.Ashewentby,afewmembersoftheaudiencelookedupathimandProfessorYaothoughthesawshadowsoffalserecognitioncrosstheirfaces.OneortwonoddedorraisedtheirhandsandProfessorYaonoddedback,slightlyembarrassedattheattention.Hetwirledthethickjaderingonhisfinger,noticingforthefirsttimethattheviridianhueofthejadehadbeemuchpaler.Orwasittheeffectofthelighting?

HealmosttrippedoveroneofseveralsmallrobotsglidingthroughtheaislesofferinglittleshotsofEspressocoffeeandfinger-sizedsandwiches.ArumbledeepwithinhisbowelsremindedProfessorYaothathehadn’teatenineighthours.There’dbeennotimetopopdowntoChinatownforaquickbiteandthemealservedontheplanehadbeeninedible.ProfessorYaowasnotabigfanofWesterncuisine,whichdidn’tdeliverthesamesatedfeelingthatonegotfromauthenticChinesefood.Hehadquicklycheckedintohishotel,refreshedhimselfandgrabbedataxitotheWaldorf.

“Testing,testing,testing.One,two,three”wentafemalevoiceontheaudiosystem.ProfessorYaolookedtowardsthestagetoseeawell-presentedyoungwomaninatight-fittinggraysuitonthepodium.Shecouldn’thavebeenmorethantwenty-oneyearsold.Thesoundofstaticfilledtheairandmusicbegantoblastfromdifferentloudspeakers.Thesoundshiftedlikestormcloudsfromonesideoftheroomtoanotherasthetechnicianstestedtheaudio.ThegirlturnedtowardsProfessorYao,flamingredhaircrownedTVpresenterlooks,andaflickerofrecognitioncrossedherface.ShewalkedpurposefullytowardshimandProfessorYaosuddenlyfeltembarrassed.Acloudofexpensiveperfumeenvelopedtheprofessor.

“HiProfessorYao,Iwasreallyworriedyouwouldn’tmakeit,”thegirlsaidwithgenuineconcern.“IamWendyBruckheimerwiththeWorldTechnologyForum.Iwillbetakingcareofyoutoday.”Sheflashedasmile,revealingperfectlyeventeeth.

“Nicetomeetyou,Ms.Bruckheimer.Imustapologizeformytardiness,”theprofessorsaidhaltingly,proudthathisrustyEnglishwasholdingupnicelywiththeattractiveyoungwoman.

“That’sOK.Iexpectyou’veheardaboutDr.Joplinthough?”sheasked,lookingathimintensely.ProfessorYaofeltthetempoofhisheartbeatrisesharply.HefixedtheBruckheimerwomanwithaconcernedlook.

“No.Ihaven’t.Whathappened?”AcrescendoofalarmhadcreptintoProfessorYao’svoice.

“Well,weleftamessageatyourhotel.Yousee,ProfessorYao,Dr.Joplinisdead.”