Synopsis: The new cognitive capabilities in our machines were the result of a shift in the way wethink about problem solving. The shift is the most significant change in AI, ever, if not inscience as a whole. Machine Learning based systems are now successfully attackingboth simple and complex problems using these novel Methods. We are…
Synopsis: In this talk we articulate a positive vision of the future that is both viable given what we know, and also utterly radical in its implications. We introduce two key insights that, when taken together, synergize in powerful ways. Namely, (a) the long-tails of pleasure and pain, and (b) the correlation between wellbeing, productivity,…
The state of the art deep learning models do not really embody understanding. This panel will focusing on AGI transparency, auditability and explainability.. differences btw causal understanding and prediction as well as surrounding practical / systemic / ethical issues. Can the blackbox problem be fully solved without machine understanding (the AI actually ‘understanding’ rather than…
Why should we prioritize improving the long-term future? Longtermism is an ethical stance motivates the reduction of existential risks such as nuclear war, engineered pandemics and emerging technologies like AI and nanotechnology. Sigal Samuel summarizes the key argument for longtermism as follows: “future people matter morally just as much as people alive today; (…) there…
Synopsis: The goal of Aligned AI is to implement scalable solutions to the alignment problem, and distribute these solutions to actors developing powerful transformative artificial intelligence. What is Alignment? Algorithms are shaping the present and will shape the future ever more strongly. It is crucially important that these powerful algorithms be aligned – that they…
This talk is part of the ‘Stepping Into the Future‘ conference. Synopsis: The arrival of homo sapiens on Earth amounted to a singularity for its ecosystems, a transition that dramatically changed the distribution and interaction of living species within a relatively short amount of time. Such transitions are not unprecedented during the evolution of life,…
This talk is part of the ‘Stepping Into the Future‘ conference. Synopsis: Along with many benefits of powerful machine learning methods comes significant challenges. For example, as content recommendation algorithms become increasingly competent at satisfying user preferences, they may also become more competent at manipulating human preferences, to make the preferences more easily satisfiable. These kinds of alignment…
This panel is part of the ‘Stepping Into the Future‘ conference. What is the most wonderful experience you have had in your life? Now imagine if every moment in your life could be as good as this experience, or even better. Other things being equal, wouldn’t it be nice if we had higher quality lives?…
This talk is part of the ‘Stepping Into the Future‘ conference. Abstract: Superintelligence, the next phase beyond today’s narrow AI and tomorrow’s AGI, almost intrinsically evades our attempts at detailed comprehension. Yet very different perspectives on superintelligence exist today and have concrete influence on thinking about matters ranging from AGI architectures to technology regulation.One paradigm…
Synopsis: Octavia Butler’s fiction underscores heightened empathy as a possible feature of the future humans (who may be co-evolved with alien species, in Butler’s imagination). Yet, in Butler’s fiction, the morally enhanced beings ponder over the freedom they now possess. This talk, building on the view that ME requires multiple virtues (James Hughes), examines the linkage…
