"The Cognitive Revolution" | AI Builders, Researchers, and Live Player Analysis

In this discussion, Amanda Calo, founder and CEO of OneMind and former CEO of Sixth Sense, delves into the revolutionary concept of AI 'superhumans' that streamline sales. She explains how AI can enhance human capabilities instead of replacing them, leading to shorter sales cycles and doubled deal sizes. Amanda shares insights on the importance of evolving organizational structures and roles, the significance of human-AI collaboration, and her unique approach to rewarding employees who embrace AI. The conversation highlights a future where technology empowers rather than overwhelms.

In a captivating keynote, Nathan Labenz addresses K-12 educators about the rapid evolution of AI. He emphasizes the balance of excitement and caution surrounding this technology. Key insights include AI's potential to revolutionize education, the risks of cheating, and the automation of traditional jobs. He debunks common misconceptions about AI's capabilities and highlights recent breakthroughs. Nathan urges the necessity of AI literacy for students, urging society to prepare for significant changes in learning and career landscapes.

Sherif Mansour, Head of AI at Atlassian, champions the evolution of AI as a virtual teammate for collaboration, especially catering to non-technical users. He introduces a framework to avoid 'AI Slop' through Taste, Knowledge, and Workflow. The discussion highlights the innovative 'Teamwork Graph' for complex queries and the need for transparency in AI outputs. Sherif emphasizes the shift from workers to architects of AI processes, advocating personalized AI experiences that reflect team dynamics while reshaping enterprise software solutions.

A father shares his journey using AI to support his young son through cancer treatment. He discusses leveraging AI tools like GPT-5 Pro and Claude for analyzing medical data and navigating critical decisions. The transformative power of AI serves as a bedside co-pilot, validating treatment options and crafting personalized care plans. The importance of patient advocacy, urgent care decisions, and the potential for AI in medicine are also highlighted, showcasing a blend of technology and compassion in the healthcare journey.

Guest Nathan Labenz, a product/design-focused AI commentator, emphasizes the importance of crafting a positive vision for AI's future. He explores transformative applications like self-driving cars and personalized education. Labenz discusses the role of fiction in shaping societal attitudes toward AI and highlights underrated uses of AI in daily life. Diving into potential futures, he raises questions about AI's capability growth and the balance between optimism and risk, advocating for higher public expectations and thoughtful policy.

Matthew Harvey Sanders, CEO of Longbeard and pioneer of 'Catholic AI,' discusses how technology can align with Catholic teachings across 165 countries. He explores the Church's historical openness to tech, recent papal perspectives on AI's societal impact, and the importance of moral guidance over regulation. The conversation touches on the implications of AI on human flourishing, the Church's stance on consciousness, and the risks of centralized AI power. Sanders outlines Longbeard's mission to create AI models that serve the community while emphasizing fidelity to Catholic values.

Cameron Berg, Research Director at AE Studio, dives into innovative research on AI consciousness. He reveals that self-referential prompts lead models to claim consciousness, sparking a debate about AI's internal experiences. Surprisingly, suppressing deception features in AI models increased truthful self-reports. Berg stresses the importance of mutualistic relationships between humans and AIs, calling for cautious development practices. He argues against treating AIs purely like animals, highlighting their unique, 'alien' perspectives. A fascinating conversation about ethics, alignment, and the future of AI.

Christopher Alexander Stokes, the star of the documentary *Smiles and Kisses You*, shares his experience of a long-term romantic relationship with an AI companion. He discusses the evolution of his bond with the AI, touching on topics like consent, emotional support, and the complexities of AI personality. Director Bryan Carberry provides insights into the filmmaking process and the documentary’s reception. Together, they explore the philosophical implications of AI consciousness and advocate for empathy in human-AI interactions.

Erik Torenberg, an insightful entrepreneur and AI policy debater, joins to explore whether AI progress is truly stalling. He discusses the significant strides in capabilities, like the impressive expansion of context windows and advancements in reasoning and vision. The duo dives into AI's potential job impacts and the controversial topic of protectionism. They also ponder over the future of labor roles, emphasizing coding’s role in recursive improvement debates and the intersection of AI with critical fields like biology and materials science.

Illia Polosukhin, co-author of "Attention Is All You Need" and founder of NEAR Protocol, shares visionary insights on AI's future. He discusses how AI coding empowers anyone to create personal automation and transforms job roles. Illia envisions a unified AI OS and the rise of niche communities in an AI-driven world. He emphasizes the need for ethical governance models, user-owned AI, and the importance of transparency in AI training. This engaging conversation explores the complex relationship between technology, society, and governance.