The TED AI Show cover image

The TED AI Show

Could AI really achieve consciousness? w/ neuroscientist Anil Seth

Dec 10, 2024
Anil Seth, a cognitive and computational neuroscience professor at the University of Oxford, dives deep into the fascinating distinction between consciousness and intelligence. He discusses the intricate nature of human consciousness and why AI, despite its advancements, lacks true self-awareness. Anil warns against anthropomorphizing AI, highlighting the risks of overreliance on these technologies. They explore the ethical implications of AI systems, emphasizing the importance of human oversight in our evolving relationship with artificial intelligence.
56:51

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Anil Seth highlights the fundamental difference between intelligence and consciousness, emphasizing that self-aware AI remains a distant possibility rather than an immediate reality.
  • The risks of anthropomorphizing AI can lead to misunderstandings about their true capabilities, necessitating a clear distinction between tools and sentient beings.

Deep dives

The Limits of AI Development

Recent concerns in AI research indicate that advancements in artificial intelligence may be plateauing, particularly in relation to pre-training systems. Here, researchers argue that we may be reaching the limits of scaling laws and the quality of available data necessary for further growth. As AI technology has become increasingly sophisticated, the expectation of achieving a breakthrough—such as creating self-aware AI—now seems more distant. This suggests that the journey towards machines capable of independent thought is likely to take longer than initially anticipated.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode