Author: Zhang Feng
Manus founder Xiao Hong proposed "providing a computer for AI," which many may interpret literally—as equipping artificial intelligence systems with hardware.
In fact, the succinct expression "providing a computer for AI" likely reflects a profound contemplation on the direction of artificial intelligence development: it may signify a paradigm shift from "tool intelligence" (making individual applications smarter) to "environment intelligence" (making the entire digital environment smarter). This shift is not merely about adding hardware to AI but reimagining computing architecture, human-computer interaction, and application ecosystems.
I. The Significance of AI: Systematically Addressing Human Needs
The fundamental significance of artificial intelligence lies in serving human needs. Unlike humans who directly operate various applications to meet their needs, AI accomplishes this process by automatically handling different applications.
In a traditional internet application environment, when humans need to process documents, they open word processing software; when they need calculations, they launch spreadsheets; when they need communication, they use communication tools. These operations require active human intervention and continuous decision-making. AI can automate this process—when a human expresses the need to "prepare a quarterly financial report," AI can automatically retrieve data sources, run analytical tools, generate visual charts, organize textual content, and present the results to the user. This automated processing is not a simple execution of a single application but an intelligent coordination that spans multiple applications and steps. Thus, the significance of AI transcends the execution of single tasks, evolving into a comprehensive understanding and systematic resolution of complex human needs.
II. The Essence of AI: Holistic Integration Across Different Applications
Traditional applications often operate independently, creating data silos and functional barriers. The essence of AI lies in its ability to penetrate these barriers, becoming an intelligent medium that connects different applications. A powerful AI system should not merely be an additional feature within a specific application but should serve as a unified intelligent layer that spans multiple applications.
Imagine that AI can understand task requirements extracted from emails, retrieve relevant files from cloud storage, analyze these files with specialized software, integrate the results into a presentation, and finally schedule the reporting time through a calendar. In this process, AI is no longer part of a single application but coordinates multiple applications as a "super application" or "meta application." This integrative capability allows AI to truly understand context and execute complex tasks without being limited by the functionalities of a single application.
III. The Fusion Tool Between Humans and AI: Redefining Computers
Traditional computers are tools designed for humans. In the traditional computing paradigm, human needs are met by invoking different applications through an operating system (OS). The operating system acts as a bridge between hardware and software, managing resources, scheduling tasks, and providing a user interface that allows users to easily launch and use various applications.
However, in this model, humans remain the decision-making center and execution主体, needing to constantly switch, judge, and operate between different applications. The limitations of this model are becoming increasingly apparent: as the number of applications grows explosively, people spend more and more time managing tools rather than creating value; poor data flow between applications leads to inefficiencies; complex operational processes keep many potential users at bay due to technical barriers. There is an urgent need for a smarter interaction method—this is the fundamental reason for AI's intervention.
The future "computer" will be a fusion environment where humans and AI coexist. "Providing a computer for AI" is not just about physical devices; it represents a new paradigm of collaboration between humans and AI, where AI is no longer a tool that passively responds to commands but an intelligent partner capable of actively understanding intentions, coordinating resources, and executing tasks.
This new type of "computer" will redefine the relationship between the operating system, applications, and users. The operating system will evolve into a system that is natively designed for AI, specifically tailored for the efficient operation of AI and collaboration with humans; applications will transform into "skills" or "services" that AI can invoke; and users will be liberated from cumbersome operations, focusing on higher-level decision-making and creativity.
IV. A Layered Trustworthy Intelligent Ecosystem Centered on AI
Looking ahead, we can foresee a trustworthy intelligent ecosystem composed of four layers:
Application Layer (APP) processes and utilizes data, with applications continuing to perform specific functions and handle specialized tasks. However, in the new paradigm, they exist more as "capability modules," providing standardized interfaces for AI to invoke rather than being directly user-facing. The application layer focuses on deep functionality in vertical fields, ensuring high-quality execution of specialized tasks.
AI Layer processes and utilizes applications (APP), with AI serving as the intelligent coordination layer that understands user intentions, breaks down complex tasks, invokes appropriate combinations of applications, supervises the execution process, and integrates output results. This layer is no longer confined to a single application but spans the entire digital environment, achieving true intelligent automation. AI becomes the user of applications, while humans become the guides of AI.
Operating System (OS) ensures AI's trustworthiness, with traditional operating systems managing hardware resources, while the future AI-native operating system will focus on managing AI behavior, ensuring it is trustworthy, reliable, and controllable. This includes ensuring the transparency and explainability of AI decision-making processes; preventing AI from abusing permissions or resources; managing collaboration and conflicts between different AI agents; and protecting user privacy and data security. The operating system will take on the dual role of "regulator" and "enabler" for AI.
Blockchain ensures the trustworthiness of the operating system, at the foundational level, blockchain technology provides basic trust assurance for the entire system through its decentralized, immutable, and traceable characteristics. Key decisions of the operating system, important actions of AI, and invocation records of applications can all be documented and verified through blockchain. This architecture ensures that even if system components fail or are maliciously tampered with, the operational trajectory of the entire system remains traceable and auditable, fundamentally establishing digital trust.
V. Future Development Trends Centered on AI
The realization of this vision will have far-reaching impacts.
Productivity revolution, humans will be liberated from repetitive operations, focusing on creative work. AI handles execution details while humans grasp direction and strategy, forming a true human-machine collaboration.
Technological democratization, complex technological tools will become easy to use through AI mediation. Non-professionals will also be able to complete specialized tasks through natural language commands, significantly lowering the technical usage threshold.
Application ecosystem reconstruction, the value of applications will no longer depend on whether the user interface is friendly, but on whether their functionalities are powerful, interfaces are standardized, and whether they can be effectively invoked by AI. This will give rise to a new paradigm of application development.
Trust mechanism reconstruction, through the dual assurance of operating systems and blockchain, people can more confidently delegate tasks to AI systems, promoting AI's application in more sensitive and critical areas.
A new human-machine relationship, humans will no longer be the "operators" of tools but the "guides" and "partners" of intelligent systems. This shift in relationship will profoundly impact education, work, and social organization.
In the future, AI may not just be an additional component embedded in existing systems but could become the core organizational principle of the digital world. When we truly "provide a computer for AI," we are not just creating more powerful tools but are creating a smarter world—one that understands our needs, responds to our intentions, enhances our capabilities, and remains trustworthy and controllable. This may very well be the ultimate goal of the artificial intelligence revolution: not to replace humans with machines, but to build a new ecosystem where human and machine intelligence coexist, maximizing the advantages of both to face the challenges of an increasingly complex world together.
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