Chapter 159

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Translated by Heavenly Cat

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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“Wow. The response seems really good?”

“The most common response is that this is like magic. All SNS and media are buzzing.”

There were exactly two pieces of news shaking this year-end.

One was Argentina’s Messi finally lifting the trophy at the Qatar World Cup, achieving enlightenment.

And the other was the release of XPT-3.

“I tried it too, and the performance is so good I couldn’t tell if it’s really AI or if there’s a person behind it directly answering.”

“Developers seem to be the most shocked. It writes code on its own, does translations, even writes essays and papers.”

However, as Close AI said, this is still just an early version.

XPT-3 is a test version, and the real thing starts from the next version.

“We can try the next version in advance. Close AI will provide the version they’re developing so we can try it first.”

“Oh my, there was an even better version?”

“Yes. There are many parts that need fixing before public release, so for now they’re letting only company people use it.”

Close AI currently has a much higher version of XPT than what’s publicly released.

But the reason they can’t release it to the public all at once is to slowly make corrections while upgrading, and suddenly releasing too advanced a version could cause social chaos.

“Actually, when they released XPT-2, it could produce fake news en masse so they immediately made it private.”

XPT has been through a lot.

When XPT-1 was first released, people’s response was lukewarm.

Then as 2 was released, someone created and spread hundreds of fake news articles with remarkably improved performance and quality indistinguishable from real news articles.

After that, release was delayed for a while before XPT-3 was unveiled.

Since XPT-3 is several times more powerful than XPT-2, obviously even harder-to-distinguish fake content would run rampant.

But they felt it was time for the world to accept AI.

“But development speed is faster than expected.”

“Yes. Originally they planned to release versions as they came, but development speed has gained more momentum than expected. Probably because you’ve been continuously providing investment funds and also expanding servers. Above all, development scope has grown by doing deep learning through platforms we currently manage.”

XPT’s expected development stage wasn’t originally here.

But with our Gwangwoon’s steady investment and server expansion, and crucially, by doing AI deep learning through all the platforms we have, development capabilities had rapidly increased.

“So right now Close AI and our affiliates are discussing how to integrate AI for advancement.”

“In what way?”

“For example, for KW Exchange, we could introduce XPT for real-time chart analysis. PikPik could also use AI-based video search. And Faceweb that we just acquired could write posts through AI.”

Plus, cooperating with Kangsung Electronics to enable comprehensive AI use on phones was another method.

“They also see mobile as the best route for AI popularity. Everyone has a phone, and if XPT is always running there, people will end up only using that.”

In other words, the plan was to preempt the market.

Didn’t Close AI already tell me about this?

Once XPT is released, copycat versions will surely spring up like mushrooms, and big companies like Google will definitely catch up with AI technology—no, they might even release a better version.

“Then there are two methods. One is for XPT to cooperate with Kangsung Electronics first and embed XPT in all phones to aim for market preemption. But this has high possibility of being replaced once Google makes their own AI later.”

“And the other?”

“Increase development capabilities more. Releasing XPT-3 now is ultimately a test for solid development of the next version, isn’t it?”

Releasing XPT-3 was partly to earn money through subscriptions, but also to accumulate big data.

The more people use it, the more data accumulates, and that becomes material for making the next version.

“We’re trying to widen the gap from the start so other companies can’t dare exceed our XPT’s performance?”

“Yes. While they’re still making arrows, we’re completing machine guns. If we overwhelm them with technology like that, they won’t find anything to replace XPT and everyone will end up using our company’s AI.”

So what’s important for us now is platforms.

SNS, KW Exchange, Amplflix, mobile, and so on. Maximizing use of platforms we have to get people to use XPT as much as possible.

“If you pay XPT subscription with KW Coin, giving a 20% discount would be good too.”

“Yes. That looks good too. But the problem is if we expand platforms like this, usage inevitably doubles and server issues arise.”

Expanding platforms and having everyone use our KW Coin along with XPT was good, but we inevitably hit realistic problems.

“With more people than expected using XPT, server problems are starting to occur. Above all, if XPT performance develops further from here, they say it’ll become an even bigger issue.”

“We’re using servers to the maximum right now, right?”

“Yes. It was originally very spacious, but things changed after we acquired Faceweb. They used to use BWS, but now Faceweb uses Gwangwoon servers.”

“So we need to expand.”

“Yes. Expansion is urgent. But even though we’re diligently producing semiconductors, demand is so high that quickly building servers doesn’t look easy.”

This problem seemed to need discussion.

Having expanded services massively but not being able to operate due to lack of servers was unacceptable.

“Oh right. How are things going in Nigeria?”

“Yes. I’ve been continuously receiving reports about that. Fortunately, our foundation employees arrived safely and started volunteer activities.”

“What about bodyguards?”

“Sentinel recruited and deployed as many security personnel as possible. The Nigerian government also accepted everything upon hearing that donations worth hundreds of billions of won came in.”

“Work is proceeding faster than expected.”

“Yes. Director Anthony seems to be very capable. I thought it would take quite a while, but seeing how things proceeded this smoothly.”

Indeed, there was a reason my intuition selected this person as Director.

“Is Nigeria’s security okay?”

“Unfortunately, it’s gotten worse recently. With criminal organizations from all over the world flocking to Africa, Nigeria is also suffering damage from that, and above all, civil war has gotten worse so the atmosphere is quite dangerous.”

“I’m worried about the foundation people.”

“Yes. That’s why Sentinel is guarding with extra care. But worry is warranted. The government there hasn’t been doing well lately either.”

Government side?

What problem do they have now?

“Whether they got caught up in this civil war, several politicians suddenly went missing?”

***

“Chairman, Whiterock and Wingard have sent an ultimatum.”

“What?”

“Hasn’t Bluezone’s market cap fallen to $400 billion now? How will you take responsibility for that, and how will you overcome this crisis? If you don’t show content and actions convincing to them…………”

“If not?”

“They say they’ll remove you from the chairmanship and hand the company over to Gwangwoon.”

“Wh-what!?”

Lainjov slammed the table hard.

Ah. Now comes regret.

If I knew this would happen, I should have created differential voting rights like Faceweb to firmly secure control!

“Of course, not having differential voting rights is also why Bluezone’s stock price rose more. Your vision was to lead the company through trust and communication with shareholders.”

That was also true.

If differential voting rights had been implemented, stock price would have fallen more than now, and joining the $1 trillion club might have taken more time.

“But this situation happened in the end. Wingard and Whiterock—those guys never participate in management. Yet they suddenly stab us in the back like this?”

“They’re ultimately fund managers who receive customer money and invest. If stock price falls this much, complaints from customers who put money in the fund will grow, and then they have no choice but to take action.”

The problem was these two’s influence was too great.

Don’t these two hold over 20% of shares?

“What if Gwangwoon does a public acquisition? Won’t the stock price bounce back then?”

“That’s the problem. Gwangwoon is deliberately buying precariously at a level that doesn’t trigger public acquisition. Meanwhile, they’re continuously dropping issues behind the scenes to lower stock price.”

“Shouldn’t the US government step in?”

“That’s also tricky. We’ve already done mass layoffs so Bluezone’s public sentiment isn’t good, and the poor performance that started before isn’t Gwangwoon’s fault.”

In other words, Gwangwoon was currently slowly gnawing away at Bluezone without crossing the line as much as possible.

“Like they did with Faceweb, they’re pressuring shareholders holding stock. Will you let company value keep falling like this, or will you save it now?”

“Then we just do a poison pill?”

Poison pill.

A device activated by the board for control defense when hostile acquisition starts.

Giving existing shareholders the right to buy new shares at very cheap prices to forcibly dilute share ratio—this way acquisition costs rise enormously.

“That won’t work. It’s likely to draw backlash from existing shareholders. Because while it might raise company value short-term, the side effects will obviously make it fall more than now.”

Lainjov had actually thought about it all night.

Why was Gwangwoon targeting Bluezone of all places?

The answer to that question came from seeing the XPT release.

What these guys ultimately want isn’t Bluezone.

BWS that Bluezone has.

They want that massive server.

“Their goal is obvious. They’re not interested in running the company. They’re targeting the large server we built. Did you see the XPT that came out this time? Quite impressive. But to spread and supply that to people worldwide, they’ll need large server facilities, right?”

Seeing XPT, Lainjov felt he’d made a mistake.

Space industry was fine, but gaining profit from it required too long a time.

What if he’d invested that money in artificial intelligence instead?

Looking at current trends, AI industry seemed likely to grow more explosively than space industry.

“But for them to monopolize AI, they need vast servers. Without that, operation is hard. That’s why they’re targeting our company. Even though their intentions are this obvious, should we just watch the company get handed over?”

That’s why Lainjov absolutely couldn’t hand over Bluezone.

If Bluezone too fell into Gwangwoon’s hands, from then on they’d become unstoppable.

“We’re the last line of defense. If even here is breached, Gwangwoon’s ambitions can never be stopped. So even if we do a poison pill, we must at least block the acquisition.”

“……”

“Everyone agrees with me, right?”

Gwangwoon had opened the gates to the AI era with the XPT release. Lainjov felt his legs go weak seeing that AI’s performance.

Even though it seemed lacking right now, just last year he couldn’t have imagined AI of this level would emerge.

And if Gwangwoon obtained large server facilities here and put all efforts into AI development? Then in the coming AI era, Gwangwoon would stand at the forefront, and other competitors wouldn’t be able to breathe.

Furthermore, the space industry Lainjov was running was also likely to eventually fall into Gwangwoon’s hands.

So they had to protect it. This last line of defense.

“Then assuming everyone agrees……”

“No.”

“What?”

But the executives were all looking at Chairman Lainjov with firm eyes.

“We cannot just watch as the Chairman permanently destroys Bluezone’s value.”

“What did I just say? Gwangwoon are the ones who don’t care about our company’s value. What they want is only……!”

“Servers? Sure, could be. But Gwangwoon has never once abandoned affiliates they’ve acquired. Rather, they’re introducing KW Coin and AI functions to all platforms. That will be the same for our Bluezone.”

The atmosphere was unsettling.

What did it mean that executives were openly rebelling like this?

“Could it be……… Wingard and Whiterock have already gone over?”

“Yes.”

“You said it was an ultimatum earlier? Weren’t they giving one last chance?”

“The Chairman just blew that chance. We’ve already come after agreeing to this company’s owner changing.”

“!?”

Lainjov’s hands trembled.

“N-now everyone. Calm down. You can’t trust Gwangwoon!”

“No. Rather, Gwangwoon has more future than the Chairman does. The crashed stock price will eventually be restored by Gwangwoon. Given the business potential they’re showing, it’s sufficiently possible.”

A Bluezone equipped with KW Coin and XPT.

A Bluezone connected to numerous Gwangwoon platforms at that.

“Doesn’t that look more passionate than a Chairman selling shares for the space industry?”

“……”

The directors all rose from their seats with those final words.

“Please vacate the chairman’s office as soon as possible. We plan to inform Gwangwoon of our intentions and seat a new chairman in that position.”

<End of Chapter 159>