Featured Coffee: Coda Coffee - Costa Rica, Santa Cruz, Micro Lot
To kick off the month of February, Ben and Aaron are diving into a new thematic area: artificial intelligence and the frontiers of technology. As computing power has increased exponentially over the past few decades, the power and potential of AI has expanded rapidly. The advent of big data has quite literally given artificial intelligence the fuel it needs for processes like deep learning and the ability to make superhuman decisions. Whether science fiction or science fact, the arrival of AI is a double-edged sword—equipping humans with a formidable tool the likes of which the world has never seen before. At the same time, new developments bring new fears, a healthy amount of skepticism, and serious ethical concerns that warrant our attention before it is too late.
In the episode, Ben and Aaron dive into the history of artificial intelligence before discussing the major fears and ethical questions surrounding this rapidly developing technology. To quell those fears, the hosts explore the immense benefits of AI, the various problems being solved with the help of these thinking computers, and what listeners should expect in this brave new world.
Sources
The Age of A.I.: YouTube Original Docuseries hosted by Robert Downey Jr.
In the Age of AI: PBS Frontline Documentary
TED Talk by Janelle Shane: The danger of AI is weirder than you think
TED Talk by Kai-Fu Lee: How AI can save our humanity
Harvard: The History of Artificial Intelligence
MIT Technology Review: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and Cybernetics
BBC Future: Why the biggest challenge facing AI is an ethical one