Murray Shanahan

Join Murray Shanahan, Professor of Cognitive Robotics at Imperial College London and a principal scientist at Google DeepMind, as he explores the philosophical depths of AI. He discusses the limitations of the Turing Test, introducing the 'Garland test' for consciousness. Murray sheds light on the influence of films like 'Ex Machina' on public perception of AI. He also delves into the evolution of AI reasoning, contrasting symbolic methods with modern approaches, and questions the ethical implications of consciousness and suffering in artificial entities.

Murray Shanahan, a cognitive robotics expert at Google DeepMind, teams up with Harvard's Tomer Ullman, who focuses on cognition and development. They dive into what distinguishes human intelligence from that of large language models. The discussion unpacks the misconceptions of LLMs as intelligent beings, addressing their 'hallucinations' and inability to genuinely discern truth. They also ponder the alignment problem in AI and question whether LLMs embody real consciousness or merely simulate human-like behavior.

Murray Shanahan, a Professor of Cognitive Robotics at Imperial College London and a senior research scientist at DeepMind, dives deep into AI consciousness and the perils of anthropomorphizing machines. He discusses the limitations of current language in describing AI and stresses the need for nuanced vocabulary. Shanahan explores Reinforcement Learning and the 'Waluigi Effect,' as well as the complexities of agency in AI. He also touches on consciousness in relation to non-human entities, emphasizing how our perceptions shape understanding and the philosophical implications behind it.

Forget what sci-fi has told you about superintelligent robots that are uncannily human-like; the reality is more prosaic. Inside DeepMind’s robotics laboratory, Hannah explores what researchers call ‘embodied AI’: robot arms that are learning tasks like picking up plastic bricks, which humans find comparatively easy. Discover the cutting-edge challenges of bringing AI and robotics together, and learning from scratch how to perform tasks. She also explores some of the key questions about using AI safely in the real world.If you have a question or feedback on the series, message us on Twitter (@DeepMind using the hashtag #DMpodcast) or email us at podcast@deepmind.com.Further reading:Blogs on AI safety and further resources from Victoria KrakovnaThe Future of Life Institute: The risks and benefits of AIThe Wall Street Journal: Protecting Against AI’s Existential ThreatTED Talks: Max Tegmark - How to get empowered, not overpowered, by AIRoyal Society lecture series sponsored by DeepMind: You & AINick Bostrom: Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers and Strategies (book)OpenAI: Learning from Human PreferencesDeepMind blog: Learning from human preferencesDeepMind blog: Learning by playing - how robots can tidy up after themselvesDeepMind blog: AI safetyInterviewees: Software engineer Jackie Kay and research scientists Murray Shanahan, Victoria Krakovna, Raia Hadsell and Jan Leike.Credits:Presenter: Hannah FryEditor: David PrestSenior Producer: Louisa FieldProducers: Amy Racs, Dan HardoonBinaural Sound: Lucinda Mason-BrownMusic composition: Eleni Shaw (with help from Sander Dieleman and WaveNet)Commissioned by DeepMind Please leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts if you enjoyed this episode. We always want to hear from our audience whether that's in the form of feedback, new idea or a guest recommendation!  

Murray Shanahan, a Professor of Cognitive Robotics at Imperial College London and a principal research scientist at Google DeepMind, dives deep into the intersection of consciousness and artificial intelligence. He explores whether the robot Ava from 'Ex Machina' was truly conscious, critiques the Turing Test, and discusses the concept of 'Conscious Exotica.' The conversation also touches on the Attention Schema Theory and the implications of embodied cognition for AI, rounding off with thoughts on the future of consciousness in a technological age.