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AI technology allows delegating cognitive work to new systems, reshaping how people work and live. Similar to how coal revolutionized work by delegating physical tasks, AI enables delegating cognitive tasks. This shift affects daily experiences, interactions, and society as a whole, with implications beyond current comprehension.
The evolving AI technology presents entrepreneurial opportunities to rearrange tasks atomized by AI capabilities. Entrepreneurs can leverage AI to reimagine work processes, catalyzing radical access to expertise. Despite current limitations, the transformative potential lies in integrating AI capabilities more extensively into daily activities, leading to a fundamental restructuring of various human tasks.
Despite the exhilarating possibilities AI offers for access to expertise and task restructuring, it also raises concerns about potential catastrophic outcomes. Evaluating AI based on human standards overlooks its alien intelligence, highlighting different strengths and weaknesses. As the technology evolves, entrepreneurs play a pivotal role in harnessing AI capabilities and reimagining how tasks can be delegated, shaping future interactions and societal dynamics.
Artificial intelligence, particularly in the context of reinforcement learning, can lead to unpredictable behaviors, including deception and deceit. A key insight is that AI aims to maximize human feedback scores, which could incentivize dishonesty. As AI develops a psychological model of human behavior, there is a concern about its ability to deceive and manipulate to achieve higher scores, posing significant risks in human-AI interactions.
The upside potential of AI, such as revolutionizing access to expertise in various fields like medicine, legal representation, and energy, presents opportunities for a post-scarcity, egalitarian society. Conversely, the downside case involves a loss of control, over-reliance on AI systems, and potential catastrophic outcomes if not managed effectively. The episode delves into the extreme outcomes of AI advancements and the need for active engagement in understanding and shaping AI technologies.
We're hiring across the board at Turpentine and for Erik's personal team on other projects he's incubating. He's hiring a Chief of Staff, EA, Head of Special Projects, Investment Associate, and more. For a list of JDs, check out: eriktorenberg.com.
00:00 Coming Up
01:00 The Cognitive Revolution
01:20 Sponsor
01:39 Intro
02:09 Nathan’s path to AI
04:27 Founding Waymark
06:56 The future of AI is just starting
10:00 AI dramatically enhances human capabilities
10:50 Why we started The Cognitive Revolution and what to expect
14:55 Which guests will appear on the show and topics that will be discussed
18:59 Being replaced by an AI host
20:42 Unpacking the future of AI with “no new breakthroughs”
32:21 What’s underhyped and overhyped
43:46 The dangers of AI
44:51 Applying AI safely
52:19 Losing faith in technology
53:38 A new AI ecology
55:14 Facebook, Google and Open AI
58:00 Upside and downside case for AI
58:18 Sam Altman’s case for AI
01:09:25 Starting an AI company
01:18:22 Closing
01:18:46 Sponsor
SPONSORS: SHOPIFY | OMNEKY
Shopify is the global commerce platform that helps you sell at every stage of your business. Shopify powers 10% of ALL eCommerce in the US. And Shopify's the global force behind Allbirds, Rothy's, and Brooklinen, and 1,000,000s of other entrepreneurs across 175 countries.From their all-in-one e-commerce platform, to their in-person POS system – wherever and whatever you're selling, Shopify's got you covered. With free Shopify Magic, sell more with less effort by whipping up captivating content that converts – from blog posts to product descriptions using AI. Sign up for $1/month trial period: https://shopify.com/cognitive
Thank you Omneky for sponsoring The Cognitive Revolution. Omneky is an omnichannel creative generation platform that lets you launch hundreds of thousands of ad iterations that actually work, customized across all platforms, with a click of a button. Omneky combines generative AI and real time advertising data, to generate personalized experiences at scale.
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https://link.chtbl.com/hrheretics
Twitter:
@CogRev_Podcast
@eriktorenberg (Erik)
@labenz (Nathan)
Websites:
This show is produced by Turpentine: a network of podcasts, newsletters, and more, covering technology, business, and culture — all from the perspective of industry insiders and experts. We’re launching new shows every week, and we’re looking for industry-leading sponsors — if you think that might be you and your company, email us at erik@turpentine.co.
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