Astral Codex Ten Podcast

A fascinating exploration of AI’s evolution from 2021 to 2027 delves into the accuracy of a researcher's bold predictions made in 2021. The conversation reveals surprising developments in AI capabilities and raises questions about the global AI arms race, particularly between the US and China. Additionally, a poignant dialogue on the Ethiopian famine highlights the intricacies of model predictions, audience engagement, and the importance of supporting humanitarian efforts, showcasing the blend of technology and global challenges.

Explore the meticulous creation of ultramarine pigment and its significance in medieval art, especially in depictions of the Virgin Mary. Discover the challenges of sourcing lapis lazuli from far-off lands and its transformation into stunning colors. The discussion also navigates the intersection of innocence and artistry in our digital era, critiquing AI's impact on the meaning of art. Finally, ponder the paradox of technological abundance shaping our interaction with creativity and the search for authentic beauty in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Explore the chilling concept of Ur-abductions, delving into cultural narratives of evil humanoid kidnappers. Discover the intriguing tales of the Deros, malevolent Atlantean dwarves that blurred the lines between reality and fiction. Uncover the dark history of abduction myths and how they evolve from folklore to modern tales. Delve into the connection between sleep paralysis and abduction experiences. Finally, trace the cultural evolution of hell, revealing profound influences from ancient religions and personal experiences.

Delve into the intriguing moral dilemmas of charity and responsibility in emergency scenarios. The discussion unpacks thought experiments that challenge our views on ethical obligations towards the distant poor. It critically examines the obligations we face in life-and-death situations and emphasizes the need for cooperative wealth redistribution. The conversation also highlights the complexities of individual versus collective moral actions during crises, proposing that community resources often hold more power than personal intervention.

Discover the intriguing world of misophonia, where common sounds, like chewing, can lead to intense discomfort and even relationship breakdowns. The discussion reveals surprising triggers that extend beyond sound, as visual cues play a significant role. Personal stories shed light on the emotional fallout and the ongoing struggles faced by those affected. Therapeutic techniques like meditation are shared, highlighting the journey toward managing these overwhelming responses. This exploration dives deep into the psychological complexities of sensory sensitivities.

Explore the intriguing evolution of OpenAI from a nonprofit dedicated to safe AI development to a for-profit entity. Discover the financial hurdles they faced and the tension between Elon Musk and Sam Altman over the corporate direction. Gain insights into the ethical responsibilities tied to AI advancements and the complexities of corporate governance in this rapidly changing tech landscape.

The podcast dives into the world of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, discussing their high costs and how a recent FDA ruling has ended a drug shortage. With prices skyrocketing, telehealth startups have offered affordable alternatives by sourcing medications in unconventional ways. It examines the potential fallout for millions who rely on these drugs as the market shifts. The conversation also touches on the risks of self-administered medications and the mixed bag of innovation and safety in the evolving pharmaceutical landscape.

The discussion dives into the alarming drop in student proficiency revealed by recent NAEP scores, questioning whether this decline is solely due to COVID-19 lockdowns. The host reflects on their previous optimism about the long-term impacts of missing school years. They explore intriguing trends from 1998 to 2024 and consider whether educational challenges predate the pandemic. Graph analyses reveal that all student groups were affected, indicating potential systemic issues that transcend individual circumstances, prompting deep reflection on the future of education.

Intelligence seems to correlate with total number of neurons in the brain. Different animals’ intelligence levels track the number of neurons in their cerebral cortices (cerebellum etc don’t count). Neuron number predicts animal intelligence better than most other variables like brain size, brain size divided by body size, “encephalization quotient”, etc. This is most obvious in certain bird species that have tiny brains full of tiny neurons and are very smart (eg crows, parrots). Humans with bigger brains have on average higher IQ. AFAIK nobody has done the obvious next step and seen whether people with higher IQ have more neurons. This could be because the neuron-counting process involves dissolving the brain into a “soup”, and maybe this is too mad-science-y for the fun-hating spoilsports who run IRBs. But common sense suggests bigger brains increase IQ because they have more neurons in humans too. Finally, AIs with more neurons (sometimes described as the related quantity “more parameters”) seem common-sensically smarter and perform better on benchmarks. This is part of what people mean by “scaling”, ie the reason GoogBookZon is spending $500 billion building a data center the size of the moon. All of this suggests that intelligence heavily depends on number of neurons, and most scientists think something like this is true. But how can this be? https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/why-should-intelligence-be-related

I enjoy the yearly book review contest, but it feels like last year’s contest is barely done, and I want to give you a break so you can read more books before we start over. So this year, let’s do something different. Submit an ACX-length post reviewing something, anything, except a book. You can review a movie, song, or video game. You can review a product, restaurant, or tourist attraction. But don’t let the usual categories limit you. Review comic books or blog posts. Review political parties - no, whole societies! Review animals or trees! Review an oddly-shaped pebble, or a passing cloud! Review abstract concepts! Mathematical proofs! Review love, death, or God Himself! (please don’t review human races, I don’t need any more NYT articles) Otherwise, the usual rules apply. There’s no official word count requirement, but previous finalists and winners were often between 2,000 and 10,000 words. There’s no official recommended style, but check the style of last year’s finalists and winners or my ACX book reviews (1, 2, 3) if you need inspiration. Please limit yourself to one entry per person or team. Then send me your review through this Google Form. The form will ask for your name, email, the thing you’re reviewing, and a link to a Google Doc. The Google Doc should have your review exactly as you want me to post it if you’re a finalist. DON’T INCLUDE YOUR NAME OR ANY HINT ABOUT YOUR IDENTITY IN THE GOOGLE DOC ITSELF, ONLY IN THE FORM. I want to make this contest as blinded as possible, so I’m going to hide that column in the form immediately and try to judge your docs on their merit. https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/everything-except-book-review-contest