Chapter 287: The Era of New Energy!
Introducing the A.I. Butler
Luke clapped his hands, and the lights in the venue brightened successively. Standing in the spotlight, he took the microphone.
"I like the twenty-first century, and I dislike the twentieth, because here we have the Internet. The Internet is one of the world's greatest inventions. It makes me feel the vastness of the world, the potential of technology, and the smallness of humanity. First, I must thank Mr. Turing and Mr. von Neumann; they are the ones who brought the future into reality."
"Science is incredibly interesting. It always brings surprises in unexpected ways, just like this..."
Luke snapped his fingers. Behind him, a dense array of virtual light screens emerged. The screens contracted inward, solidifying into a stunning beauty who blended multiple ethnic features. The woman appeared to be around twenty-four, with an impeccably delicate face and perfectly proportioned figure.
"Avril, say hello to everyone."
The girl nodded slightly.
"I am Avril. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Her soft words echoed through the venue, lingering in the air.
The audience was stunned for a moment, then erupted in noise. That's a sound generated by a computer!Artificial Intelligence—this was beyond exaggeration!
A reporter shouted, "Mr. Shaw, is Miss Avril being played by a real person?"
"No, of course not. She is a new product launched by Tesla—the Intelligent Butler. She can help people organize documents and handle daily chores. Of course, those are just a few of her dozens of basic functions. Avril's greatest feature is her humanoid thinking; to put it simply, her language communication capability."
The reporter asked incredulously, "You mean she can talk to us?"
Luke gestured to Avril, and she stepped forward. Despite not having a physical body, her walking motion was incredibly lifelike.
"Sir, how may I help you?"
The reporter's voice trembled slightly.
"You... you can really talk to me?"
"Yes, Avril possesses that capability."
The reporter calmed his nerves. "What... what can you do?"
"My program contains fourteen thousand seven hundred work processes, which can be categorized into 3,300 types. Which one would you like to know about?"
The reporter was speechless, unsure how to reply. He knew nothing about AI, and neither did most people present.
"Alright, Avril, you can return now."
The girl offered an exceptionally sweet smile and walked back to the stage with elegant steps. As she walked, her skirt flared, revealing long, smooth, and toned legs. Even knowing she was a virtual figure, the men in the audience felt their hearts accelerate uncontrollably.
Lois glanced at her boyfriend and exaggeratedly exclaimed,
"That girl is so pretty, she looks so real."
Clark nodded in agreement, then paused, realizing his mistake, and quickly shook his head.
"She's a synthesized image; no matter how beautiful, she's fake."
Lois snorted, clearly displeased with his answer.
On stage, Luke continued to introduce the capabilities of the Intelligent Butler. Avril acted as the demonstration, showcasing astonishing humanoid thinking. Gradually, several heads of financial groups showed genuine interest, and bank presidents looked thoughtful. They all recognized the enormous potential market for the Intelligent Butler. This wasn't a business worth tens of billions, but a new commercial field worth hundreds, perhaps even trillions, of dollars.
The Automotive Revolution
"I love technology; it always brings surprises. But undeniably, surprises can also bring harm."
Luke snapped his fingers. A massive virtual screen appeared behind him, displaying decades of Earth's climate change, environmental degradation caused by industrial development, and vast, mountain-like garbage dumps.
"The environment is a heavy topic, an old one. Decades ago, the United Nations proposed environmental protection plans, including signing protocols and limiting resource extraction. Yet, decades later, there's been no sign of improvement, only worsening conditions. The area of the Arctic ice cap continues to shrink, reducing by nearly 80% since it was first measured. This data is terrifying and shocking."
"To be honest, I am not an environmentalist. I don't care much about nature's degradation or those piles of industrial waste. However, when you have the power to make the world better, and you choose not to, that is a crime in itself."
"This is the second gift I'm giving you."
The stage lowered, forming a ramp. A silver sports car drove out from beneath and circled the stage before stopping next to Luke.
"As you can all see, this is a car equipped with an autonomous driving system. It can drive smoothly without a driver, but that's not the main point..."
Luke patted the rear carriage of the car.
"This is the point!"
The audience was confused. It's just the trunk, they thought, nothing special. Then someone shouted "Exhaust pipe!", and the crowd suddenly sobered up. They craned their necks, unable to hide their shock.
This was 2003. Due to limitations in battery technology, energy vehicles were still just a concept; there were no finished products, not even design blueprints.
"Is that really an electric car?"
"AI Butler, energy vehicle... two products closely linked, they can form a perfect commercial chain."
The people sitting here were not fools. They immediately grasped Luke's plan and the immense potential contained within Tesla. If this model succeeded, Tesla was bound to revolutionize the automotive industry and become the new leader.
Luke smiled.
"Technology changes the world, and technology shapes the future. For a long time, many scholars have believed that while technology improves human life, it also harms the Earth. But starting from this moment, I will change their perspective."
"Coal and oil will become things of the past. The United Nations no longer needs to worry about environmental issues, because I have solved them for them. The world's change begins with this car."
"It is the new product I am proudly launching: the Tesla Energy Vehicle, featuring autonomous driving technology and Intelligent AI. It has a range of four hundred miles per charge. I advise everyone present to sell all your oil-related stocks. They will exit the stage of history because of Tesla's arrival."
Luke spread his arms, his face radiating absolute confidence.
"The age of oil is over. The future belongs to new energy, it belongs to Tesla."
The people below exchanged glances, heavily impacted by his declaration. Some began to applaud, and the applause grew louder and deafening. Several bank presidents huddled together, whispering, seemingly discussing the truthfulness of his claims.
They were veterans of the business world, not easily swayed by a mere declaration or simple product demonstration. Tesla's product looked good, but its real-world performance remained to be seen.
The reporters, however, were less restrained. They took advantage of the applause to eagerly thrust their microphones forward. Luke ignored them, raising a hand. The mechanical birds in the venue took flight, gathering over the stage.
"Now is the intermission. Afterward, I will bring you a unique surprise."
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