#256 From Deep Learning to SuperIntelligence with Terry Sejnowski, Head of Computational Neurobiology at Salk Institute

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Oct 28, 2024

Terry Sejnowski, a pioneering mind in computational neuroscience and head of the Computational Neurobiology Laboratory at Salk Institute, dives into the fast-evolving realm of AI. He discusses the parallels between AI development and early aviation, emphasizing the unpredictability of both fields. Terry explores the merging of AI and neuroscience, the transition from academia to industry, and the ethical challenges of superintelligence. He also highlights AI's potential in creative processes and the urgent need for regulation to ensure technology aligns with human values.

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INSIGHT

Wright Brothers Moment for AI

Current AI development is like the Wright brothers' first flight.
We've just begun, and making AI reliable and safe will be key.

INSIGHT

Shift to Learning

Early AI focused on logic and symbol processing, underestimating intelligence's complexity.
The shift to learning algorithms and neural networks was crucial for modern AI.

ANECDOTE

NeurIPS: Bridging Disciplines

The NeurIPS conference initially struggled with interdisciplinary communication between neuroscientists, mathematicians, and engineers.
Over time, they found common ground in high-dimensional computing.

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With the recent rapid advancements in AI comes the challenge of navigating an ever-changing field of play, while ensuring the tech we use serves real-world needs. As AI becomes more ingrained in business and everyday life, how do we balance cutting-edge development with practicality and ethical responsibility? What steps are necessary to ensure AI’s growth benefits society, aligns with human values, and avoids potential risks? What similarities can we draw between the way we think, and the way AI thinks for us?

Terry Sejnowski is one of the most influential figures in computational neuroscience. At the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, he runs the Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, and hold the Francis Crick Chair. At the University of California, San Diego, he is a Distinguished Professor and runs a neurobiology lab. Terry is also the President of the Neural Information Processing (NIPS) Foundation, and an organizer of the NeurIPS AI conference. Alongside Geoff Hinton, Terry co-invented the Boltzmann machine technique for machine learning. He is the author of over 500 journal articles on neuroscience and AI, and the book "ChatGPT and the Future of AI".

In the episode, Richie and Terry explore the current state of AI, historical developments in AI, the NeurIPS conference, collaboration between AI and neuroscience, AI’s shift from academia to industry, large vs small LLMs, creativity in AI, AI ethics, autonomous AI, AI agents, superintelligence, and much more.

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