Hey Everyone,
Ted Talks encapsulate a year in an industry in a curious way, they frame our reality in a world being permeated by more and more large language models, copilots, chatbots, GenAI startups, tools, humanoid robots and so forth.
I cover emerging tech, and the hype in 2023 has been instrumental. But where will this copilot era of AI really lead?
Iโve listened to more AI podcasts and watched more AI videos in 2023 than ever before. These are worth listening to.
Many of these talks have over 1 million views in just a few months on TedTalk. On YouTube they often have 20x more views.
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Where does it all lead? And do the experts give us a realistic picture?
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Artificial intelligence
Computers are being taught to learn, reason and recognize emotions. In these talks, look for insights — as well as warnings. 2023 was indeed a year of warnings.
1. The urgent risks of runaway AI โ and what to do about them
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The survival of truth and reason amidst rapid AI evolution is questioned due to the integration of untrustworthy technology at alarming speeds.
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2. War, AI and the new global arms race
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Lethal drones with facial recognition, armed robots, autonomous fighter jets: we’re at the dawn of a new age of AI-powered warfare, says technologist Alexandr Wang. He explores why data will be the secret weapon in this uncharted landscape and emphasizes the need to consider national security when developing new tech — or potentially face all-out AI warfare.
Listen time: 9 min 42
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3. The AI-powered tools supercharging your imagination
How is AI changing the nature of human imagination and creativity? Through a mind-bending tour of new techniques he’s been tinkering with, creative technologist Bilawal Sidhu shows how anyone can use AI-powered tools — like 3D scans that let you redesign the physical world in real time — to expand the possibilities of artistic expression, often within just minutes.
Listen time: 6 min 10
4. Will superintelligent AI end the world?
Iโm really not a big fan of the AI doomer movement but itโs important to understand while watching the Accelerationists vs. the Safetists. Itโs all a bit much.
Decision theorist Eliezer Yudkowsky has a simple message: superintelligent AI could probably kill us all. So the question becomes: Is it possible to build powerful artificial minds that are obedient, even benevolent? In a fiery talk, Yudkowsky explores why we need to act immediately to ensure smarter-than-human AI systems don’t lead to our extinction.
Listen time: 10 min 32
I really like the work of who is a great writer on the LessWrong forums. Thankfully you can just subscribe to his Newsletter.
5. The inside story of ChatGPT’s astonishing potential
In a talk from the cutting edge of technology, OpenAI cofounder Greg Brockman explores the underlying design principles of ChatGPT and demos some mind-blowing, unreleased plug-ins for the chatbot that sent shockwaves across the world. After the talk, head of TED Chris Anderson joins Brockman to dig into the timeline of ChatGPT’s development and get Brockman’s take on the risks, raised by many in the tech industry and beyond, of releasing such a powerful tool into the world.
This video was too long for me to embed:
Listen time: 30 min 09
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Sal Khan, the founder and CEO of Khan Academy, thinks artificial intelligence could spark the greatest positive transformation education has ever seen. He shares the opportunities he sees for students and educators to collaborate with AI tools — including the potential of a personal AI tutor for every student and an AI teaching assistant for every teacher — and demos some exciting new features for their educational chatbot, Khanmigo.
Listen time: 15 min 37
7. What happens when our computers get smarter than we are?
Artificial intelligence is getting smarter by leaps and bounds โ within this century, research suggests, a computer AI could be as “smart” as a human being. And then, says Nick Bostrom, it will overtake us: “Machine intelligence is the last invention that humanity will ever need to make.” A philosopher and technologist, Bostrom asks us to think hard about the world we’re building right now, driven by thinking machines. Will our smart machines help to preserve humanity and our values โ or will they have values of their own?
Listen time: 16 min 31
8. Can we build AI without losing control over it?
Scared of superintelligent AI? You should be, says neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris — and not just in some theoretical way. We’re going to build superhuman machines, says Harris, but we haven’t yet grappled with the problems associated with creating something that may treat us the way we treat ants.
Definitely one of the more thought-provoking Ted Talks in AI of 2023.
Listen time: 14 min 27
9. AI Is Dangerous, but Not for the Reasons You Think
AI won’t kill us all โ but that doesn’t make it trustworthy. Instead of getting distracted by future existential risks, AI ethics researcher Sasha Luccioni thinks we need to focus on the technology’s current negative impacts, like emitting carbon, infringing copyrights and spreading biased information. She offers practical solutions to regulate our AI-filled future โ so it’s inclusive and transparent.
Listen time: 10 min 19
10. Machine intelligence makes human morals more important
Machine intelligence is here, and we’re already using it to make subjective decisions. But the complex way AI grows and improves makes it hard to understand and even harder to control. In this cautionary talk, techno-sociologist Zeynep Tufekci explains how intelligent machines can fail in ways that don’t fit human error patterns — and in ways we won’t expect or be prepared for. “We cannot outsource our responsibilities to machines,” she says. “We must hold on ever tighter to human values and human ethics.”
Listen time: 17 min 42
Honorable Mention:
The disappearing computer โ and a world where you can take AI everywhere
Why AI is incredibly smart and shockingly stupid
How AI could empower any business
Are insect brains the secret to great AI?
And so many others. Many more can be found on YouTube.
Including:
How to Keep AI Under Control
AIโs Single Point of Failure
The Dark Side of Competition in AI
The Transformative Potential of AGI โ and When It Might Arrive
2024 is going to be pretty wild in the history of Generative A.I. Geopolitics, technology and and business is going to be fraught with A.I. Supremacy wars. Global conflict could arrive as early as 2026 in addition to the Ukraine and Israel and Artificial Intelligence & A.I chips will feature prominently.
๐ Happy holidays to you all.
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