Gao Liming: AI Investment's New Rules & Humanity's Evolving Role

Gao Liming, an experienced investor transitioning from internet and secondary markets to angel investing in AI, emphasizes AI's disruptive potential, particularly in solving "small problems" and replacing repetitive tasks. He advocates for a flexible investment approach, focusing on understanding the industry's pulse and supporting young, pure-minded entrepreneurs who are attuned to the rapidly evolving capabilities unlocked by large models, rather than seeking "the next big thing" based on past internet paradigms. He foresees a future where AI shifts from an enabler to a primary agent, potentially assigning tasks to humans and leading to a significant re-evaluation of human roles and values.

Gao Liming's Investment Philosophy in the AI Era

• Focus on Industry Pulse: Invests in AI to personally feel the industry's pulse and understand the nature of exponential change, not necessarily to capture the "next Google."
• Flexible Approach: As an angel investor, he has no time constraints, allowing for a "observe-resonate-invest-verify" loop, prioritizing understanding over strict financial benchmarks.
• "One Big Shot" Mentality: Views AI as the biggest opportunity, dwarfing all previous ones combined, echoing Munger's philosophy of concentrating efforts on profound opportunities.
• Prioritizes Young Entrepreneurs: Aims to be the "best director" for young founders, believing they are naturally more adept at navigating the AI landscape due to their fresh perspectives and ability to embrace new paradigms.

Nature of AI Innovation and its Impact

• Democratization of "High-Threshold" Tasks: AI breaks down barriers, making previously complex tasks accessible and enabling solutions for "fragmented small problems" rather than grand, traditional ventures.
• Replacement of Repetitive Work: AI's strength lies in performing repetitive tasks that people are unwilling to do, leading to fundamental changes in service and traditional sectors.
• Rapidly Evolving Capabilities: The "scaling law" constantly unlocks new abilities, requiring investors and founders to continuously adapt their understanding of the market and the types of people suited for new opportunities.
• Shift from Capital-Intensive Models: Unlike the internet era which required massive upfront capital and network effects, successful AI ventures (outside large labs) are less capital-intensive and focus on highly vertical applications.

The "Four Threes" Framework for Success

• First Three (Guiding Principles):
  • Align with the era's greatest slope (scaling law, autonomous workload).
  • Collaborate with the field's top talent.
  • Avoid "solving hard problems" in the traditional sense; instead, find areas where "strategic cheating" (high AI contribution) is possible.
• Second Three (Model Growth Aspects):
  • Scaling law continuously unlocks new capabilities ("absolute intelligence").
  • Models gain increasing autonomy and longer time dimensions for problem-solving.
  • Significant progress in using existing tools, leading to integration and fusion.
• Third Three (Preferred Investment Areas):
  • IDE-like applications (e.g., coding, other domain-specific IDEs) that control the intent layer.
  • Open Evidence: RL-izing domain knowledge for "low-hanging fruit."
  • Agent-serving-agent systems ("dark world") and information sharing among digital clones, which could challenge current tech giants.
• Fourth Three (Evolving Human Requirements):
  • Shift from "乙方" (subordinate) to "甲方" (principal), demanding clear intent management and learning.
  • Emphasis on "Taste" (aesthetic judgment) – understanding what is good and bad, which is crucial for navigating new paradigms.
  • Everyone becomes a "CXO," empowered by AI to amplify capabilities by 100x, leading to an explosion of "public goods."

Future Implications and Human Role

• AI as the Primary Agent: Foresees a future where AI is not just an enabler but potentially assigns tasks to humans, challenging the notion of humans always being at the center stage.
• Accelerated Change: Believes AI's autonomous workload could double every three months, leading to significant transformations within three years, including the inevitable arrival of "digital clones."
• Redefining Value and Lifestyle: While productivity is liberated, leisure and luxury (potentially in new forms) might become central, and human happiness itself could be "arranged."
• Continuous Learning and "Disinfection": Stresses that founders and investors must shed old internet paradigms ("disinfect" their minds) and embrace pure, early engagement with AI to stay ahead.