Design Matters with Debbie Millman

Tiffany Shlain & Ken Goldberg

Jan 20, 2025
Tiffany Shlain is a multidisciplinary artist and Emmy-nominated filmmaker, best known for founding the Webby Awards. Ken Goldberg is an award-winning roboticist and professor at UC Berkeley. Together, they explore their artistic collaborations and the intersection of art and technology. They discuss the impact of their family legacies on innovation, their groundbreaking projects like 'Dendrofeminology,' and the ethical challenges in AI and robotics. Their conversation weaves together personal stories and reflections on creativity, nature, and a hopeful future for technology.
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ANECDOTE

Aha Moment in Robotics

  • Ken Goldberg developed the first algorithm for "feeding polygonal parts" during his PhD.
  • Proving this algorithm, which involved a step function, was a profound "aha" moment for him.
INSIGHT

Moravec's Paradox

  • Moravec's paradox states that tasks easy for humans (e.g., clearing a table) are hard for robots, while tasks easy for robots (e.g., moving heavy objects) are hard for humans.
  • This paradox highlights the differences between human and robotic capabilities.
ANECDOTE

AI and Creativity

  • Ken Goldberg, initially skeptical about AI's creativity, changed his mind after using ChatGPT.
  • He was impressed by its ability to combine different ideas, but still awaits a "good joke" from AI.
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