Future of Life Institute Podcast

Explore a future with narrow AI remaking the world, creating separate media bubbles and increasing inequality. Despite the drawbacks, AI improves medicine and therapy. The podcast discusses fictional worldbuilding, the impact of media and AI on reality, limitations of narrow AI, lack of optimism in realistic fiction, virtual celebrities and AI art, building a better future through worldbuilding, and balancing cultural perspectives.

Steve Omohundro, co-author of Provably Safe Systems, discusses the concept of provable safety in AI, formalizing safety, provable contracts, proof-carrying code, language models' logical thinking, AI doing proofs for us, risks of totalitarianism, tamper-proof hardware, least-privilege guarantee, basic AI drives, AI agency and world models, self-improving AI, and the overhyping of AI.

This podcast explores the possibility of using AI to communicate with animals and the implications of such communication. It also delves into activism, AI's impact on jobs and nature, and the concept of universal basic income. The speakers discuss AI systems, data sovereignty, and the creation of a social network. They also explore carbon tokens and their connection to incentivizing climate-positive actions. The podcast concludes by emphasizing the power of activism, storytelling, and the importance of including diverse voices in shaping AI and technology.

In this podcast, the host interviews Mako Yass, the first place winner of the FLI Worldbuilding Contest. They discuss Mako's imaginative world 'To Light' which features life-extending pills, mind-uploading technology, and wealth distribution. They also delve into topics like AGI challenges, AI alignment, and the power of storytelling in inspiring creativity.

Johannes Ackva, an environmental activist and climate change expert, discusses the main drivers of climate change and our best technological and governmental options for managing it. Topics include renewable energy sources, nuclear energy, government subsidies, carbon taxation, planting trees, influencing government policy, different climate scenarios, and the decoupling of economic growth and emissions.

The podcast explores the concept of digital nations that provide representation and belonging for low-income countries affected by climate change. The speakers discuss the potential number of digital nations in the future and highlight Tuvalu's aim to become the world's first digital nation. They also explore the importance of equitable wealth distribution and borderless trade in Africa, and discuss the concept of digital persons and their potential to enhance moral knowledge. Additionally, they delve into the use of AI tools in education and encourage engagement with these ideas.

The podcast explores the concept of a unified world governed by an advanced AI system. The team behind 'Core Central' discusses the challenges of creating a cohesive imagined world and the potential of moving beyond nation states. They touch on topics such as lethal autonomous weapons, anti-aging drugs, and the increasing centralization of political unions. They also delve into the mysteries of copyright AI and the development of AI systems based on the human mind. The episode concludes with insights on the future of centralization, conflicts in beliefs, and collaboration in worldbuilding contests.

AI researcher Tom Davidson discusses the risks of AI automation, including the potential automation of AI research. Topics include the pace of AI progress, historical analogies, AI benchmarks, takeoff speed, bottlenecks, economic impacts, and the future of AI for humanity.

How does who is involved in the design of AI affect the possibilities for our future? Why isn’t the design of AI inclusive already? Can technology solve all our problems? Can human nature change? Do we want either of these things to happen? Imagine a World is a podcast exploring a range of plausible and positive futures with advanced AI, produced by the Future of Life Institute. We interview the creators of 8 diverse and thought provoking imagined futures that we received as part of the worldbuilding contest FLI ran last year In this second episode of Imagine A World we explore the fictional worldbuild titled 'Crossing Points', a second place entry in FLI's worldbuilding contest. Joining Guillaume Riesen on the Imagine a World podcast this time are two members of the Crossing Points team, Elaine Czech and Vanessa Hanschke, both academics at the University of Bristol. Elaine has a background in art and design, and is studying the accessibility of technologies for the elderly. Vanessa is studying responsible AI practices of technologists, using methods like storytelling to promote diverse voices in AI research. Their teammates in the contest were Tashi Namgyal, a University of Bristol PhD studying the controllability of deep generative models, Dr. Susan Lechelt, who researches the applications and implications of emerging technologies at the University of Edinburgh, and Nicol Ogston, a British civil servant. There's an emphasis on the unanticipated impacts of new technologies on those who weren't considered during their development. From urban families in Indonesia to anti-technology extremists in America, we're shown that there's something to learn from every human story. This world emphasizes the importance of broadening our lens and empowering marginalized voices in order to build a future that would be bright for more than just a privileged few. The world of Crossing Points looks pretty different from our own, with advanced AIs debating philosophy on TV and hybrid 3D printed meats and grocery stores. But the people in this world are still basically the same. Our hopes and dreams haven't fundamentally changed, and neither have our blindspots and shortcomings. Crossing Points embraces humanity in all its diversity and looks for the solutions that human nature presents alongside the problems. It shows that there's something to learn from everyone's experience and that even the most radical attitudes can offer insights that help to build a better world. Please note: This episode explores the ideas created as part of FLI’s worldbuilding contest, and our hope is that this series sparks discussion about the kinds of futures we want. The ideas present in these imagined worlds and in our podcast are not to be taken as FLI endorsed positions. Explore this worldbuild: https://worldbuild.ai/crossing-points The podcast is produced by the Future of Life Institute (FLI), a non-profit dedicated to guiding transformative technologies for humanity's benefit and reducing existential risks. To achieve this we engage in policy advocacy, grantmaking and educational outreach across three major areas: artificial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and biotechnology. If you are a storyteller, FLI can support you with scientific insights and help you understand the incredible narrative potential of these world-changing technologies. If you would like to learn more, or are interested in collaborating with the teams featured in our episodes, please email worldbuild@futureoflife.org. You can find more about our work at www.futureoflife.org, or subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on all our projects. Works referenced in this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Legend_of_Zelda https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ainu_people https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34846958-radicals http://www.historyofmasks.net/famous-masks/noh-mask/

The podcast explores new governance mechanisms for creating a better future. It discusses the use of AI and technology to reinvent social systems and create empowered communities. The episode features the creators of a worldbuild focused on community and explores prediction markets, global collaboration, and incentivizing donations. The speakers emphasize the importance of storytelling and optimistic narratives in envisioning the future.