The World Transformed

Latest Episodes:

Michael Anissimov Transhumanist Philsophy, Best of TWT Mar 23, 2017

Show notes

[This show first aired March 17, 2008.] Michael Anissimov discusses transhumanism and its philosophical underpinnings. "Transhumanism as Simplified Humanism" – Eliezer Yudkowsky Stephen mentioned the (very) short story he wrote about Leon Kass. It is titled "The Treatment." "One of the biggest flaws in the common conception of the future is that the future is something that happens to us, not something we create." - Michael Anissimov This quote was first published here at The Speculist and was reprinted in Kurzweil's The Singularity is Near. Michael Anissimov pointed us to both the A.I. Panic! blog and to the Lifeboat Foundation.

Thomas Frey and Epiphany Z, Part 1 Mar 23, 2017

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Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon welcome futurist Thomas Frey back to the World Transformed to discuss his new book: Epiphany Z: 8 Radical Visions for Transforming Your Future. Topics: What is epiphany Z? 12 Laws of the future. Optimizing purpose. Optimizing learning. Optimizing our tools. Optimizing systems. Optimizing government Optimizing infrastructure. Optimizing ourselves. Three laws of exponential capabilities What should we reasonably expect for humanity for the near term? For the long term? Learn more about Thomas Frey and his work at The Davinci Institute and at Futurist Speaker. Join us! Listen to Part 2. WT 281-590

Ben Goertzel on the Future of AI, Best of TWT Mar 21, 2017

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[This show first aired March 20, 2008.] Ben Goertzel joins Stephen Gordon and PJ Manney for a discussion of the future of AI. Dr. Ben Goertzel is the CEO/CSO of Novemente LLC. He's been working 20+ yrs in AI R&D and commercialization. He is a former CTO of 120+ employee, thinking machine company, Webmind. He earned his PhD in mathematics from Temple University. He has held several university positions in mathematics, computer science, and psychology in the US, New Zealand and Australia. He is the author of 70+ research papers, journalistic articles, and eight scholarly books dealing with topics in cognitive sciences and futurism. He is the principle architect of the Novamente Cognition Engine. And he is the Director of Research for the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence. He came to us fresh off the first annual AGI conference at the University of Memphis which he was instrumental in organizing. The importance of Friendly AI. Goertzel believes that empathy involves the ability to simulate other minds. His thought is that if an AI is given the capacity to do this that is greater-than-human, then it will be more empathetic-than-human - a super friendly AI. Goertzel wisely refrained from making any absolute predictions on the arrival of human-level AGI. He did state that if the field had unlimited money he wouldn't be surprised if it could be done in 5 years. With limited funding it might take 20 years. If you haven't seen it, don't miss the 2001 BBC documentary Predicting AI's Future.

The Singularity is Ever Nearer Mar 21, 2017

Show notes

Phil and Stephen consider whether humanity is about to enter a new historical epoch. Quick recap, singularity defined: The Singularity is an era in which our intelligence will become increasingly nonbiological and trillions of times more powerful than it is today—the dawning of a new civilization that will enable us to transcend our biological limitations and amplify our creativity. Is the world fundamentally changing along these or other lines? Developments to consider: It Begins: Bots Are Learning to Chat in Their Own Language The world’s next great leap forward: Towards the end of poverty Mark Cuban: The world’s first trillionaire will be an artificial intelligence entrepreneur A Google Exec Just Claimed the Singularity Will Happen by 2029 WT 280-589

Lights in the Sky: Metal Asteroids, Big Rockets, and Aliens? Mar 17, 2017

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Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon review interesting developments in space exploration and development. Scientists claim to have found language of ancient Indus civilisation Blue Origin releases details of its monster orbital rocket After months of speculation, Blue Origin finally released more details about its New Glenn rocket on Tuesday. The 82-meter-tall rocket will have the capacity to lift 45 tons to low Earth orbit and an impressive 13 tons to geostationary transfer orbit. Why is NASA going to visit the giant metal asteroid 16 Psyche? Psyche's stand-out feature is that it is made almost entirely of metal. Could Mysterious Cosmic Light Flashes Be Powering Alien Spacecraft? Bizarre flashes of cosmic light may actually be generated by advanced alien civilizations, as a way to accelerate interstellar spacecraft to tremendous speeds, a new study suggests. OTHER GEEK Shia Laboef performance art WT 279-588

Many Uses of AI, Best of TWT Mar 16, 2017

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[This show first aired March 3, 2008] Phil and Stephen discuss whether self-driving cars would need to possess AGI. Armed robots: The world has already had its first armed robot accident. 9 were killedand 14 wounded in South Africa.University of Sheffield professor Noel Sharkey warns that terrorists could capture a US built SWORDS robot, reverse engineer it, and use it against us. Stephen is skeptical. He thinks its much more likely that terrorists will improvise a robot to carry an improvised explosive device. They could just duct tape an IED to a model RC car. A true robot arms race will require super powers Stephen wonders whether armed conflict will be more acceptable in the future. Today war costs "blood and treasure." If, in the future the cost is "treasure" only - because its robots fighting robots - will we fight more?Will we fight more just because its cool? What if we're fighting Gundam mechas?There's already an AI "arms race" in the financial services industry. Cut throat hedge fund AI's might not be the best bet for "friendly AI." It's important that we have the right kind of Singularity.Which comes first, human regeneration of missing limbs, or the Luke Skywalker fully realistic fully usable prosthetic?

Brain Weirdness: Knowledge Uploads, Quantum Consciousness, Back from the Dead Mar 15, 2017

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Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon explore a collection of brain stories that are just this side of “Tales of the Paranormal.” Brain activity appears to continue after people are dead, according to new study Brain activity may continue for more than 10 minutes after the body appears to have died, according to a new study. Scientists get the green light to resurrect the dead with stem cells Scientists discover how to 'upload knowledge to your brain' Scientists say your “mind” isn’t confined to your brain, or even your body Quantum consciousness, quantum mysticism, and transhumanist engineering Quantum consciousness research and “quantum mysticism” speculations are considered as weird & cranky “pseudoscience” by the bureaucrats of science, but I think they will spawn awesome forms of transhumanist engineering. WT 278-587

FastForward Radio Oscar Edition, Best of TWT Mar 14, 2017

Show notes

[This show first aired February 25, 2008.] Phil Bowermaster, Stephen Gordon, and PJ Manney discuss movies and the future. How memes, like "Americans are stupid," stick around regardless of their truth. They were surprised that some Americans object to nanotech for moral reasons. They wondered whether people have confused nanotech with embryonic stem cell research, or whether people are afraid of grey goo. On the bright side, Americans are less afraid of GM food than Europeans. Contact lenses with circuits, lights could be a possible platform for superhuman vision. Animal testing is ongoing. Phil and Stephen agree that the possibilities are wide open for this technology. Phil wondered which comes first, HUD contact lenses or self-driving cars. Stephen thinks that both technologies are imminent and will be complementary. Speaking of self-driving cars, Stephen enjoyed the new Knight Rider pilot. Good cheesy fun. By the way, that was Val Kilmer playing the voice of the new K.I.T.T. Stephen just introduced his kids to ET: The Extra Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Phil got to see 2001: A Space Odyssey on the big screen. Phil's daughter's response was pretty much "what the heck was that?" VW is coming out with a diesel hybrid. Stephen is especially excited about this development. They just need to offer a diesel plug-in hybrid. The picture at the top of this post is the VW Vortex concept that Michael Darling mentioned. It gets 235mpg and has a carbon fiber body.

Breakthrough Computing Technologies: AI and Quantum Computers Mar 13, 2017

Show notes

Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon review recent developments in AI and quantum computing. AI’s PR Problem It might be easy to mistake the drumbeat of stories about machines besting us at tasks as evidence that these tools are growing ever smarter—but that’s not happening. Bill Gates: This Will Be the Biggest Technological Breakthrough of Our Lifetime “the big milestone is when computers can read and understand information like humans do.” The future of AI is neuromorphic. Meet the scientists building digital 'brains' for your phone “Imagine a SIRI that listens and sees all of your conversations and interactions...” IBM to build quantum computers, selling machines millions of times faster than anything made before IBM has taken its first step towards selling computers that are millions of times faster than the one you're reading this on. The Race to Sell True Quantum Computers Begins Before They Really Exist WT 277-586

The Chinese Super-Fleet: a World that Might Have Been Mar 11, 2017

Show notes

Hosts Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon imagine a what-if world in which 15th-century China did not abandon its naval dominance 500 years ago, China destroyed its world-dominating navy because its political elite was afraid of free trade In the 1400s, China owned the greatest seagoing fleet in the world, up to 3,500 ships at its peak. (The U.S. Navy today has only 430). Some of them were five times the size of the ships being built in Europe at the time. What if they hadn’t? -- Chinese-settled Americas? -- Chinese-colonized Africa? -- Chinese-controlled and dominated Europe? -- Or world war much sooner? BREAKING: Elon Musk And SpaceX Are Sending Humans to the Moon The space company said in a statement that the two individuals have “already paid a significant deposit” to do a Moon mission. Initial training, along with health and fitness tests, are set to occur later this year, SpaceX continued. OTHER GEEK Finally talk some Rogue One WT 276-585

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