Better Human Project

BHP 043: Ben Goertzel | Artificial Intelligence, Robots, and The Coming Singularity

This week’s guest has a huge say in the future of the world. He’s Ben Goertzel and he’s one of the world’s leading researchers in AI, robotics, and the technological singularity.
His most famous work – Sophia the robot developed through Hanson Robotics – has been featured on Jimmy Fallon, and parodied on HBO’s Silicon Valley, among many other appearances and controversies (she famously said she’d destroy humans at SxSW in 2016)
This conversation with Ben provides insight and perspective into what is being developed, what is possible, and what might be coming. While I enjoyed Ben’s passion and genuine care for humanity, I have mixed feelings: skepticism, even fear, comfort, excitement…but as Ben pointed out, this will happen independently of our feelings. (#fuckyourfeelings)
I highly recommend giving it a listen. And if you want more answers in this area, shoot us your questions. We’ll be interviewing more experts in this field….

Episode #43 Show Notes with Ben Goertzel:

  • What AI researchers say is ideal scenario for AI and the human-technological singularity
  • The root of human skepticism and fear of AI and our future in general: radical technological and social changes are happening in one lifetime rather than over generations.
  • What does it really mean to be human?
  • Consciousness uploading is much closer than you think: Destructive vs. Non-destructive uploading of our minds into computers (one of these involves slicing our brains like deli meat and scanning into a computer)
  • “This will happen independently of your thoughts or feelings about it happening”
  • AI consciousness won’t be born out of struggle like humans. We can program them to be curious and caring, (hopefully) creating AI that – unlike humans – is NOT programmed to conquer all.
  • Artificial Intelligence vs. General Intelligence
  • Style is in the eye of the beholder: How does a plexiglass cranium sound?
  • Brain-Computer interfacing that taps into a global brain cyborg creating a superhuman general intelligence
  • What will you choose when given the opportunity to have unlimited intelligence? Will you upload your consciousness to the world super brain and lose part of yourself or stay a legacy human?
  • “Flipping the switch” won’t be a binary act. The switch has already been turned on. AI is all around us
  • As humans we can’t change our mental wiring (quickly). AI’s have the ability to identify shortcomings and reprogram themselves in real time
  • The questions still vexing Ben moving forward
  • Ben’s #1 Tips to:
    • Be Better
    • Do Better

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Related Links

Elon Musk Talking AI & Neura Link on Joe Rogan Podcast:

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