Active Inference and The Free Energy Principle: A Journey from Ant Behavior to Cognitive Security with Daniel Friedman, PhD | Ep 37

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Aug 14, 2023

Join Daniel Friedman, co-founder of the Active Inference Institute, as he explores the fascinating concepts of Active Inference and the Free Energy Principle. Dive into topics such as optimizing surprise, policy planning, cognitive security, and the application of active inference in PTSD, TBI, autism, and neurodiversity.

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ANECDOTE

Ants

Daniel Friedman studied collective behavior in ants at Stanford.
He performed fieldwork in Arizona, dissecting ant brains and studying their behavior.

INSIGHT

Cybernetic Loop

Sensemaking and decision-making are fundamental processes in individuals, teams, and organizations.
These processes can be modeled as a cybernetic loop.

INSIGHT

Surprise Minimization

Mismatch, surprise, and free energy are related concepts.
Minimizing surprise maximizes model evidence in Bayesian statistics.

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Ever wondered how your brain minimizes surprise or how organizations can harness the power of Active Inference? What does this have to do with the OODA Loop?

Join us for an in-depth exploration with none other than Daniel Friedman - co-founder of the Active Inference Institute. As you tune in, you'll find yourself unearthing the fascinating concepts of Active Inference and the Free Energy Principle (FEP), weaving the threads between cybernetics, the OODA Loop, and the human perception of reality.

A deep dive into the mind of Daniel Friedman takes us on a journey from his PhD studies on the distributed behavior of ants to co-founding the Active Inference Institute. You'll discover how we can apply Active Inference and FEP in a variety of settings, from optimizing surprise in information theory to using expected free energy for policy planning and navigating the explore-exploit trade-off. And it's not just about individual cognition; there's a whole new perspective for leaders on how these principles can scale up solid teamwork skills and help organizations understand their members' perception of reality.

Pull up a chair as we venture into the realm of cognitive security, drawing links to physical and digital security risks, and the timely need for cognitive security in an era of information weaponization. We take a compassionate look at how active inference can shed new light on PTSD and TBI in veterans, first responders, and trauma survivors, and how understanding neurodiversity through the lens of active inference and the free energy principle can help shape our world in value-guided ways. Stay tuned till the end as Daniel shares how you can contribute to the Active Inference Institute and its initiatives. It's an enlightening conversation you don't want to miss!

Daniel Friedman, PhD on LinkedIn
Active Inference Institue
Daniel Friedman, PhD Personal Website
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