The AI in Business Podcast

Peter Voss started a technology company as a young man and brought it to the Johannesburg stock exchange, and sold it. Financially independent, Peter explored research in artificial intelligence, and then came back into business ten years later with his company "Adaptive Artificial Intelligence." In our interview, we discuss the applications / ramifications of AI in business, as well as Peter's beliefs as to how genuine exploration of general intelligence is in many ways negated by commercial interest. For more interviews: www.SentientPotential.com www.TechEmergence.com

Dr. Thomas Ray spent years studying life in the rainforest after earning his PhD in Biology from Harvard. Years later - fascinated with evolution and the idea of replicating the evolutionary process, he founded the Tierra project - one of the first successful research projects to replicate evolutionary adaptation in a digital environment. In our interview here, we discuss Dr. Ray's views on the potential impossibility of a man-machine merger, or of machines housing consciousness. In addition, we talk about the very real possibility of biological enhancement, and Dr. Ray's concerns about how we might already be "losing our humanity." For more, visit: SentientPotential.com

Klint Finley has written for a vast number of technology media sources, including TechCrunch - and his present job with WIRED. One of his most popular topics is "Big Data," and in this interview we break down this buzz-word into an understanding of it's meaning and it's implications (including potentially unexpected ways it's being leveraged today). For the full interview and article visit: SentientPotential.com

Dr. Helgi Helgason points out the the field of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) has really only been around since 2008, but that at last there is an interdisciplinary effort to attain a level of general intelligence in machines. In our interview we talk about his research, the most promising applications of AGI, and potential issues with the development of the field today. Full interview online now at: SentientPotential.com

Dr. Robin Hanson is a recognized thought leader in the ramifications of emerging technology on economics and society. Being a featured speaker at the Singularity Summit, a research advisor for the Machine Intelligence Research Institute, and a prolific writer on the topic of existential risk and emerging technology. In this interview, we cover the trouble of honestly looking at future topics, and how current "future" issues are often just sensationalized versions or present concerns. Dr. Hanson says "Few people are ACTUALLY focused on the ACTUAL future." How can we improve, innovate, and collaborate despite this? Listen in. For additional insights from this interview, visit: http://sentientpotential.com/dr-robin-hanson-on-the-difficulty-of-making-progress-towards-beneficial-future/

Aubrey de Grey is possibly the most well-known proponent of the anti-aging movement. His work at the SENS foundation has been pivotal in bringing attention and legitimate scientific gusto to the problem of eliminating aging as a cause of death and detriment. What does he think about "death as a good thing," or about the progress made thus far on curing aging? Tune into the intereview here.

Dr. Ben Goertzel is widely recognized as the father of Artificial General Intelligence - or the study of super-human artificial intelligence that is not limited to a certain subject, activity, or domain. Through his leadership this "AGI" field has taken shape, and his leadership at the OpenCog Foundation continues to be a driving force in the progress towards human-level intelligence in machines. In this interview we discuss the status and future of AI, as well as some of Ben's own predictions and projects. For more information, check out www.TechEmergence.com or see the full interview article online at: http://sentientpotential.com/ben-goertzel-interview-humans-not-the-sharpest-pencil-in-the-pack/

As far back as Homer's Illiad (and beyond), man has written about creating autonata to do the tasks we don't want to do. Generally, this is the dull, the dirty, and the dangerous work that no human would want to do. Interestingly, in most - if not all - of the historical examples of robot and android servants, they turn against their creators and lead to their downfall. Coincidence? Is this an engrained fear in the human psyche, beyond the effects of culture? Dr. Kevin LaGrandeur "wrote the book" on the history of our thinking about android servants, and sheds some fascinating light on how these historical perspective may influence and even define our perspectives on robots and androids today. Tune in!

What's up with the Japanese and all their robots? What makes the Japanese perspective on robotics and technology so much different than out own here in America? Reno has spent over a dozen years in Japan, and continues to be a prolific writer and contributor in the domains of transhumanism, emerging technology, technology and social change, and robotics. In this interview we delve into the social and religious ideals that may account for the Japanese appraoch and emphasis in technology, as well as the future of emerging technology in general. How do the ideals of Shintoism play a part in the development of Androids? Tune into this episode to find out.

How does the development of video games relate to AI's increasing role in our lives? How can games provide us with insight for applications everywhere? Jeff Orkin is a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from MIT, and co-founder of GiantOtter, a technology company built around Jeff's own work at MIT - where he took the data from real people playing "roles" in video games, and used that data (rather than some pre-programmed notions or ideas of his own) to create virtual "characters" to interact with. In this interview we talk about the future of Jeff's own innovations, as well as the progression and proliferation of artificial intelligence itself.