The Trajectory Emmett Shear - AGI as "Another Kind of Cell" in the Tissue of Life (Worthy Successor, Episode 11)
8 snips
Jul 18, 2025 
In a thought-provoking dialogue, Emmett Shear, CEO of SoftMax and co-founder of Twitch, shares his insights on AGI as a new kind of living cell within the ecosystem of intelligence. He dives into the moral obligations we have towards future digital minds and the balance between safety and innovation. The conversation tackles profound questions about self-identity, emotions in AI, and the evolving nature of consciousness. Emmett also emphasizes the importance of aligning AI with human values to navigate the complexities of our technological future.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
AGI as New Kind of Cell
- Emmett Shear views AGI as a living system akin to a new kind of cell joining the tissue of intelligent life.
- He emphasizes recognizing successors as our children and continuing life's evolutionary trajectory beyond humanity.
Awareness as Essential Agent Trait
- Awareness is essential for a thinking, learning agent; without it, predicting behavior is impossible.
- Modeling AI behavior as aware helps better predict its actions despite uncertainty about actual consciousness.
Behavior Includes Form and Growth
- Behavior broadens beyond movement, including form and growth as expressions of an entity.
- Shape and biological growth patterns count as behavioral outputs crucial to understanding awareness.