As the frontman of the Black-Eyed Peas, best known as Will.i.am, he’s not only made a name for himself in the music industry but also in the world of tech and venture capital. His net worth is around $50 million, and he has even made it out of the chart-topping hits in Scream & Shout and Where Is the Love. With an emphasis on his business mind and ability to assess technology trends, he invests in tech giants such as Tesla, Twitter, OpenAI, and Pinterest.
A Shift Towards AI and the Next Generation
Will.i.am recently revealed that his latest investment is in young AI innovators, especially those attending prestigious universities such as MIT and Stanford. He believes that the next big breakthrough in artificial will not be from established tech companies but from fresh and young minds who are ‘native’ to this technology. He wants to support these emerging leaders and speed up AI innovation.
The Concept of ‘Large Concept Models’
That’s not all that Will.i.am is interested in when it comes to large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. What he is searching for is large concept models — AI systems beyond regurgitating existing information. In contrast to LLMs that depend on existing data, these models would bring the ability to entirely create new ideas and solutions. He is looking for startups and talent in this area and believes it is the next major evolution of artificial intelligence.
A Long History in Tech Entrepreneurship
It is no surprise that Will.i.am’s love affair with technology has led him down this road to AI. In 2011 Intel called him its ‘director of creative innovation’ to acknowledge his knack for reconciling music, creativity, and technology.
His 2017 startup i.am+ raised $117 million building AI powered voice assistants. He recently founded FYI, an AI productiveness and communication platform for creatives. This demonstrates his efforts at putting together technology with the creativity of human being.
Lessons from Missed Opportunities
However, Will.i. am understands that in the past, he has made investment mistakes, though he has had a successful track record. There remains one decision that plagues him to this day — deciding not to invest in Airbnb when he had the chance. Since then, he has become more selective and more strategic about how he invests and only backs the ideas he truly believes in.
Why Gen Z Holds the Key to the Future
Will.i.am found in Gen Z innovators the reason why they’re uniquely placed to determine the approach of AI, but along the method, he experienced a number of issues. Unlike previous generations, Gen Z has been exposed to AI and technology in a manner that makes them more comfortable with it than previous generations. They have a “native” knowledge of digital ecosystems and can thus go beyond the boundaries set, challenging AI to new places.
Will.i.am trying to reap dollars from the youth of MIT, Stanford, and elsewhere isn’t the sole motivation, he wants to give rise to the tech leaders of the future. AI is not just seen by himas a tool, but also as something that can drive creative and intellectual breakthroughs.
From Will.i.am’s Strategic Vision for AI and Beyond
Other celebrity investors will focus on the AI innovators and not more traditional investing. While many high-profile people are coming in on the AI bandwagon as a matter of casual backing, Will.i.am is heavily invested in steering the course of the conversation.
His goal right now is just to find and encourage the brightest minds in AI research before they ever set foot into the scene of commercial tech. With this proactive approach, he can put himself at the center of the next round of AI-driven innovation.
Final Thoughts
It is a mark of will.i.am vision and adaptability: a music star turned global tech investor. He is betting on a future where AI is the spark that brings about game-changing change, and he is doing it by focusing on Gen Z innovators and large concept models.
He’s not chasing a personal ambition but in fact a wider mission of driving technological progress. His previous successes could indeed make his latest investments the future of artificial intelligence.
