In “ The Ultimate Computer ” Star Trek episode, the Enterprise crew is replaced by the M-5 Multitronic System, an artificial intelligence designed by Dr. Richard Daystrom. M-5’s demand for power grows exponentially. So it taps into the starship’s warp engines by shooting out a power beam that zaps Ensign Harper. Then, as usually happens in science fiction, the AI goes berserk. It starts blasting other Federation starships.

Just a story. But it shows what AI needs today: A lot of really smart people and many more electrons. California must advance in both to stay on top.

Currently, Silicon Valley and San Francisco lead the world in AI development. But China is on our heels. “American and Chinese companies operate more than 90 percent of the data centers that other companies and ins

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