David Jilk, founder of eCortex and author of the poetic sci-fi epic Epoch, joins the conversation to explore the intricacies of artificial general intelligence. He shares insights from his two-decade journey in AI and neuroscience, emphasizing the importance of understanding human cognition. The discussion dives into the philosophical implications of consciousness and the alignment problem in AI, juxtaposing historical risks like the Manhattan Project with modern AI challenges. Jilk's unique blend of poetry and science offers a fresh perspective on humanity's future with AI.
David Jilk's exploration of the first AGI in his poetic saga reveals how AI may navigate human interactions and value systems.
The conversation highlights significant challenges in aligning AI with diverse human values, emphasizing the complexities of societal integration.
Deep dives
Exploring the Concept of Artificial General Intelligence
The podcast delves into the concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI) through a discussion of David Jilk's new book, which is an epic poem that narrates the experiences of the first AGI. Jilk articulates how this AI navigates human interactions, its value systems, and the societal consequences arising from its existence. The conversation highlights the philosophical implications of AI and AGI, particularly in the context of how they might reflect human cognitive processes and values. The guests express intrigue over the evolution of AI, particularly against the backdrop of recent technological advancements in deep learning and language models.
The Intersection of Poetry and Technology
The integration of poetry into the narrative serves to convey complex themes surrounding AGI, as Jilk explains that the book started as a poetry project before evolving into a commentary on AI. This creative approach allows for a nuanced exploration of profound questions regarding technology's role in society and the essence of human experience. By utilizing the poetic form, Jilk aims to express ideas that might be cumbersome if presented merely in academic papers, thereby inviting readers to engage with the emotional and philosophical dimensions of intelligence. The dialogue underscores how art can enrich discussions about emergent technologies and elevate critical thinking about their implications.
Challenging Views on AI and Consciousness
A key discussion point revolves around the varying perspectives on AI consciousness and the implications of anthropomorphizing AGI. Jilk presents a contrarian view that posits the first AGI may inherently possess human-like traits due to its learning processes being modeled after human cognition. This notion challenges prevailing beliefs within the AI research community about the possibility of creating a purely non-human intelligence. By embracing the idea that AGI could adopt human cultural and psychological aspects, Jilk opens a discourse on the potential benefits and dangers associated with realizing such entities.
AI Alignment and Its Societal Implications
The conversation also tackles the concept of AI alignment, questioning who determines the shared values that AI should reflect. Jilk emphasizes the inherent complexities in aligning AI with a diverse human society, where disparate values exist and may conflict. This perspective illuminates the challenges in creating an AI that genuinely understands and represents what humanity desires. The speakers argue that addressing these alignment issues is crucial, as the effectiveness of AI integration into society will depend significantly on how well these technologies can interpret and respond to human needs and aspirations.
David Jilk joins us for round two! After finishing MIT, David founded eCortex, a company that wound up being a solid 20 years ahead of the curve on deep learning, and later worked on cognitive models for IARPA. He has founded or advised numerous other companies, including Harmonix Music Systems, creators of the wildly popular games Guitar Hero and Rock Band. He recently published Epoch: A Poetic Psy-Phi Saga, a science fiction epic poem that tells the story of the first fully human-level artificial intelligence.