The AI in Business Podcast

Dr. Nils J. Nilsson, a retired Stanford computer science professor and pioneer in AI from the 1950s, shares captivating insights into the evolution of artificial intelligence. He discusses the Turing Test and the early advancements of the 50s and 60s, before diving into the setbacks of the AI Winter and the resurgence of expert systems and neural networks. Nils also warns about automation's impact on employment, highlights the risks of autonomous weapons, and advocates for proactive policy discussions to address these challenges.

Zoltan Istvan doesn't believe that issues of life extension, genetic modification, and neural prosthetics are the problems for the president in the year 220, but that they're among the most important considerations of the future of America, and of human life in general. In this interview, I ask Zoltan what kinds of technology and health initiatives he'd get behind as a president, as well as his own thoughts as to how concerns of merging technology might be brought to the forefront of American awareness (without a disaster, that is).

Gray Scott's mission is to bring the concerns of the future to the public - and with recent coverage in Psychology Today, New York Post, and the World Future Society, he's picking up steam. In this interview, Gray and I discuss the most important societal shifts that he believes are opening up our generation and culture to take issues like life extension and brain-machine interface. We discuss how modern skepticism of religious dogma plays a role in the social shift towards transhumanism.

Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman is no slouch when it comes to understanding the human mind - particularly the diagnoses and treatment of mental illness. In addition to being chair of psychiatry at Columbia University, Dr. Lieberman sits on the advisory board of many of the world's largest drug companies. In this particular interview, Dr. Lieberman shares his thoughts around the most transformative technological developments in understanding the mind in the last 10 years - as well has his predictions as to which technologies and approaches will break the most ground in the future of diagnosing and treating mental illnesses.

There are "techno-optimists" and "techno-pessimists"… and there's those who just don't know what they're talking about. Skeptic Magazine's founder Michael Shermer shares his thoughts on what's hyped-up and what's worth considering in the human race to the future.

It's called "transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS)," haven't you heard about it? The process involves zapping your brain through subtle electrical stimulation on the outside of the head - and though research has been going on in this field for decades, the mechanisms for it's effects on mood, memory, and more, are still mostly unknown. Dr. Brent Williams is the director of the iTeach Center at KSU, and he landed in WIRED magazine for some of his work on tDCS. In this episode, he talks about the potential future of tCDS to enhance normal human function and potentially allow us more control over our emotional state and mental performance, as the technology progresses. It's enough to make you want to go to Radio Shack and build one yourself.

Dr. James McLurkin works with swarm robots at Rice University, and his unique work on robot communication has landed him on PBS's "Nova," in addition to speaking engagements at events like TED and Singularity Summit. In this episode, Dr. McLurkin discusses how swarm robots have been inspired by insect behavior - and exactly swamp robots are best suited for. In many cases, argues McLurkin, a group of smaller, inexpensive robots can perform a job much better than a single, more capable robot. Dr. James also sheds light on when and how swarm robots might become a part of everyday life and industry in the coming decades.

David Brin is recognized as one of the most iconic futurist fiction writers of our time. With huge bestsellers like "The Postman" (later turned into a movie starring Kevin Costner), David's work explores the ramifications of human choices of our collective future. In this interview, David talks about fiction's unique role in helping humanity find a beneficial future - a job done in large part by pointing out what we want to avoid most, says David. If you're an entrepreneur, researcher, or writer yourself, David's insights into "imagination" as a force for good are important to listen closely to.

Regis Kopper runs the Duke Immersive Virtual Environment, or "DiVE." His research focuses on the interactions of virtual and real humans. In this interview, he discusses his predictions for the non-gaming applications of virtual reality - and the surprising evidence that virtual reality humans might "relate" to us in much the way that real humans do. What happens when we can't tell the difference? For More Information, Visit the HUB of Startups / Business in Emerging Technology. From Robotic Limbs to Getting Angel Investment, from Biotech to Intellectual Property: http://www.TechEmergence.com Interested in the Future of Humanity and the Ramifications of Emerging Tech? Sentient Potential Covers the Ethical Considerations and Future Projections at the Crossroads of Technology and Consciousness:

Sean Ellis is recognized as the originator of the term "growth hacking," and is widely recognized as one of the world's best startup and technology marketers. Heading up growth at companies like DropBox and LogMeIn, Sean has gone on to found Qualaroo, a qualitative data collection startup. In this interview, Sean discusses the proper use of qualitative data, polling questions, and customer interviews in order to discover a true picture of the customer's needs in order to deliver a killer product and soaring sales. If you're involved in a tech startup - or plan to "feel out" an idea for a company or technology of your own - you won't want to miss this interview. For More Information, Visit the HUB of Startups / Business in Emerging Technology. From Robotic Limbs to Getting Angel Investment, from Biotech to Intellectual Property: http://www.TechEmergence.com Interested in the Future of Humanity and the Ramifications of Emerging Tech? Sentient Potential Covers the Ethical Considerations and Future Projections at the Crossroads of Technology and Consciousness: