Fei-Fei Li urges AI community to improve public communication

Fei-Fei Li, co-founder of World Labs and Stanford professor, is calling on the artificial intelligence community to improve how it communicates the technology's benefits and realities to the public. Speaking at the Ai4 2026 conference, Li argued that the current discourse often swings between extreme utopian hype and apocalyptic dread, creating a communication problem that acts as a risk factor for the industry.

Li emphasized that the United States should serve as a role model by demonstrating the economic value of AI. She noted that while many Asian nations maintain a positive outlook due to early integration in education, skepticism is rising in the U.S. Data from the Pew Research Center indicates that half of Americans feel more worried than excited about AI, with local concerns also rising regarding the energy and water consumption of data centers.

Regarding the labor market, Li suggested that AI will likely transform jobs rather than simply replacing them. However, she cautioned that productivity gains do not automatically ensure shared prosperity. Her company, World Labs, recently raised $1 billion to develop “world models” intended to advance robotics, healthcare, and education.