"人们误以为数字技术只是工业时代的延续。实际上，数字技术带来的变革与1万年前开启的农业时代或 400年前开启的工业时代同样深远。这两次变革彻底重塑了人类的生活方式，而数字技术是人类的第三 次伟大飞跃。" 美国知名风险投资人、Union Square Ventures（USV）执行合伙人阿尔伯特·温格（Albert Wenger）近日 在北京接受21世纪经济报道记者独家专访时这样说。他表示，以人工智能引领的数字技术在带来巨大机 遇的同时，也给现有的经济与社会结构带来深刻挑战。 作为风险投资者，他常常被问到这样一个问题："下一个大趋势是什么？"在他看来，人们往往关注技术 而忽视了真正的变革。于是，他在《资本之后的世界》（《World After Capital》）中大胆地预言：人类 正在经历第三次非线性巨变——从工业时代迈向知识时代。 温格强调，工业时代向知识时代的转型已在进行中，并引发了巨大的动荡和不确定性。政府、企业与社 会必须共同思考如何利用技术——尤其是人工智能——构建一个更均衡、关注人类整体福祉的知识时 代。"当我们告别工业时代时，我们存在的意义将不再仅仅局限于拥有一份工作或进行无休止的物质消 费。反之 ...

南方财经 21世纪经济报道记者 郑青亭 北京报道 "人们误以为数字技术只是工业时代的延续。实际上，数字技术带来的变革与1万年前开启的农业时代或 400年前开启的工业时代同样深远。这两次变革彻底重塑了人类的生活方式，而数字技术是人类的第三 次伟大飞跃。" 美国知名风险投资人、Union Square Ventures（USV）执行合伙人阿尔伯特·温格（Albert Wenger）近日 在北京接受21世纪经济报道记者独家专访时这样说。他表示，以人工智能引领的数字技术在带来巨大机 遇的同时，也给现有的经济与社会结构带来深刻挑战。 20世纪80年代初，十几岁的温格在德国爱上了计算机，很早就开始为公司编写软件。随后，他前往美国 读书，在哈佛大学求学期间主修经济学和计算机科学，并在麻省理工学院攻读博士学位。毕业之后，他 创办了一家早期的互联网医疗公司。进入风险投资行业后，他投资了电商平台 Etsy、数据库 MongoDB 和云通信公司Twilio等提供变革性数字技术和服务的公司。 作为风险投资者，他常常被问到这样一个问题："下一个大趋势是什么？"在他看来，人们往往关注技术 而忽视了真正的变革。于是，他在《资本之后的世界》 ...

Core Insights - The central theme of "The World After Capital" is the transition from the industrial age to the knowledge age, where the core societal conflict shifts from "capital scarcity" to "attention scarcity" [4][10] - The author, Albert Wenger, argues that the limitations of capitalist market economies need to be addressed to facilitate a smooth transition from the industrial era to the knowledge era [4][10] Scarcity Redefined - Traditional economic theory defines scarcity based on price; however, Wenger proposes a new definition where scarcity arises when the quantity of something is insufficient to meet demand [5] - Historical context shows that human societies have experienced shifts in scarcity from food in the hunter-gatherer era to land in the agricultural era, and then to capital during the industrial revolution [6][10] Transition to Knowledge Age - The current transition indicates that scarcity is moving from capital to human attention due to advancements in digital technology, which will fundamentally alter lifestyles [6][10] - The success of capitalism has made capital less of a limiting factor in meeting personal needs, particularly in developed economies [8][10] Attention as a Scarce Resource - The author emphasizes that the knowledge age requires attention as a critical resource, akin to how machines in the industrial age required oil [11][12] - The concept of a "knowledge cycle," which includes learning, creating, and sharing, is essential for addressing attention scarcity [11][12] Digital Technology and Knowledge Cycle - Digital technology has revolutionized the knowledge cycle, allowing for unprecedented access to information, but it also poses risks such as misinformation and distraction [12][13] - The dual nature of knowledge encompasses both scientific and cultural aspects, highlighting the importance of human expression and collaboration [12][13] Future Directions - To successfully transition to the knowledge age, significant changes in self-management and collective governance are necessary [13] - The future of human development hinges on current choices and actions, emphasizing the need for both individual and collective efforts to create a more sustainable and prosperous future [13]