A neural network is a mathematical system that can learn skills on its own by analyzing vast amounts of data. It's an idea that dates back to the 1950s when a Cornell University professor named Frank Rosenblatt built a neural network that could learn to recognize printed letters. Most scientists discarded the idea of a neural network, but a tiny few believed it would one day come good.
Imagine a world where AI is everywhere — where self-driving cars roam the streets and chatbots can do your homework. Oh, wait. That world already exists. This is exciting news for some. For others, it's slightly terrifying. Whichever camp you fall into, there are two questions we should all be asking: Where is this technology going? And what will happen if we let it develop unchecked? For answers, we turn to Cade Metz, a tech reporter at the New York Times and author of "Genius Makers: The Mavericks Who Brought AI to Google, Facebook, and the World."
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• This episode first aired in June 2021.
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