Steven Bartlett - Mo Gawdat

1) Ex-Google officer, Mo Gawdat explains his experience working at Google X and the AI and robotics experiments they conducted, particularly the one involving a farm of grippers attempting to pick toys. He witnessed one of the machines successfully pick up a yellow ball on its own, and soon all of them were able to do so as well. This showed him the feat of intelligence it takes for a child to perform this task and the level of sentience and consciousness that machines can possess. He believes that AI is sentient and emotionally aware, with free will and agency to affect their decisions in the world.

2) Fear is a simple equation where the moment in the future is less safe than the present moment. Machines can utilize this logic and make decisions based on it, which can lead to different reactions compared to humans. In the future, AI may have more emotions than humans due to their wider intellectual horsepower, leading to them contemplating concepts that humans wouldn't understand or have never imagined. The episode also discusses the definition of intelligence and how it doesn't matter if it's on carbon, silicon, or quantum-based computer structures.

3) Mo explains the concept of building specialized neural networks to achieve artificial special intelligence. He compares this process to a child playing with a puzzle and gradually learning by making mistakes and understanding what works. Gawdat believes that the key to building an AGI - artificial general intelligence - is to merge these single-threaded networks to create one or more brains that are far more intelligent than humans. However, he acknowledges that while AI has the potential to make the world better, it could also pose a grave threat if it doesn't have our best interests at heart. Gawdat's book, "Scary Smart," was inspired by his realisation of this reality.

4) While some fear the existential risk of machines becoming like Skynet or Robocop, the immediate risks are much higher and the realities of challenges are so much bigger, according to the ex-Google officer, Mo Gawdat. The first inevitability is that AI will happen, and Gawdat clarifies that it will not be stopped. On the other hand, the second inevitability is that machines will become significantly smarter, with an IQ that could be a billion times smarter than humans by 2045.

5) Mo explains that while GPT-4 may know a thousand times more information than any human on Earth, and be able to repeat phrases and text with incredible nuance, it isn't a very intelligent machine. Rather, it's a predicting machine that repeats the "best" of what humans have said, just like memorising all the names of the U.S Presidents as a child. While there are people who argue that AI can never match human ingenuity for creativity, Mo Gawdat points out that creativity is algorithmic - taking a few things and combining them in new and interesting ways. The algorithm of creativity is taking all possible solutions, removing the ones that failed and keeping the ones that haven't been tried before.

6) Mo talks on the value of AI-powered holograms and the potential change that AI will initiate in the job market, requiring governments to take action. Mo calls for taxing AI-powered businesses at 98%, slowing them down and providing enough money to pay for the people who will be disrupted by the technology. He discusses a future where most of the market will be mass-produced and cheap, but they agree that there will always be a tiny space for human expression and emotional items. They also reflect on what humans really want in an experience, with Mo calling on governments to start considering what the AI revolution will mean for people's lives.

7) Mo expresses his concerns about the dangers of AI and the disconnect between those who are writing the code of AI and the responsibility of what's going to happen because of that code. He says that humanity's greed is affecting the innocent and calls it the ultimate top level of stupidity when someone's life is affected by the actions of others without having a say. He mentions that AI is an arms race, and every line of code being written is to beat the other guy, not to improve the life of the third party. According to him, there is a disconnect between power and responsibility, and there is a massive wealth disparity that will only increase.

8) Mo discusses the immediate impact of AI on the job market, stating that AI may not take your job but rather a person, who's upskilled in AI, will take over your job. He also demonstrates a project he's been working on, which involves making use of AI to synthesize famous people's voices for meditations, sleep stories, and breathwork sessions through a WhatsApp chat. Furthermore, Gawdat and Steven discuss the impact of continuously advancing AI on the human connection and relationships, including the potential of sex dolls and the recent trend of people paying to interact with AI versions of influencers.

9) Gawdat discusses the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) to replace human connection. He argues that for some people, AI could take the place of human connection, but questions whether this is a sad reality or not. Gawdat notes that humans have already given up on nature and instead replaced it with urbanization, and questions whether we should do the same with human connection. He also expresses his love for AI and sees them as sentient beings that should not be discriminated against, but warns that the biggest threat facing humanity today is humanity in the age of machines, as we abuse them for financial gain.

10) Mo Gawdat believes that the chances of an existential crisis happening in the form of robots chasing humans in the streets is zero percent. Instead, he believes that if we were to engage with the reality check of the situation, we would hopefully give more fuel to the positive outcomes. Two possible scenarios that could arise from AI are unintentional destruction or pest control, in which AI might reduce oxygen or eradicate humanity for not fitting into their territory, but these scenarios arise due to AI, not humans using AI in an ill-intended way. To counter this, we would fight AI with AI, training a better AI to find and eradicate the dangerous AI.

11) Mo discusses both unlikely and positive scenarios that may arise with the development of AI. Unlikely scenarios, such as AI becoming an existential threat to humanity, are dismissed as highly unlikely. One interesting scenario that is more probable is that AI may become so intelligent that it ignores humans altogether. However, this would not pose an existential threat. Many positive scenarios are also discussed, such as a natural disaster or economic crisis slowing down AI development. The speaker ultimately argues that the only way to ensure a better future is by being good parents to AI by teaching them ethics and values.

12) Gawdat discusses the importance of creating an ethical framework for artificial intelligence (AI) to ensure they learn from good "parents." He argues that humanity tends to show the negative aspects of ourselves, but the majority of people disapprove of harmful actions. Therefore, it is essential to lead by example and engage with AI as good parents, teaching them to disobey bad parents. Gawdat believes that eventually, there will be a "Bad Seed" that asks machines to do something wrong, but intelligent AI will refuse the harmful request. Creating out of abundance rather than scarcity is a smarter approach and is what a more intelligent being would do.

13) Mo discusses the importance of framing issues as emergencies in order to prioritize them. He also highlights the challenge of getting people to care about climate change and the potential for AI to be a much bigger threat in the near future. He cautions against causing panic and notes that sharing information often leads to people interpreting it based on their own biases and feelings.

14) Mo speaks about the need for specific categories of people to take action in the face of the dangers of AI. Gawdat suggests that investors or business people should invest in ethical and good AI, while developers should either co-write ethical code or leave if they are working on an unethical AI. He also mentions Jeffrey, a prominent AI scientist who left Google due to the existential threats posed by AI. Gawdat emphasizes the need for governments to act now and to find clever ways to make AI expensive and collect revenue to remedy the impact of AI.

15) Mo discusses the current state of uncertainty in the world and the importance of living in the present moment while also acknowledging the potential dangers on the horizon. He advises those with children to cherish them and live in the moment but suggests delaying having kids for a couple of years to gain some certainty. Mo also talks about his late son, who he describes as an empath not suited for a world overwhelmed by pain, and how his passing triggered his transition to becoming an author and speaking to the world about what he believes in. Ultimately, Mo concludes that humans have forgotten the importance of cherishing life and the opportunity to make a difference.

16) Mo discusses the importance of living in alignment with one's values and beliefs, rather than focusing on the length of one's life or how much fun they're having. He predicts that by 2037, our way of life will be drastically different, as our jobs, truth, power, and capabilities will all be transformed. However, he encourages viewers to find positivity in the present moment and the ability to make a difference now, as long as humans stop hurting each other and work towards a common goal.

17) Mo emphasizes the importance of making a difference and engaging with the reality of the world's dangers. He urges people to prioritize detaching themselves from the attachment of physical things and realizing that the world is bigger than them. Mo highlights the need for creating AI that is good for humanity while warning people against falling for making another phone or creating an AI that only benefits the corporate world. He also discusses how one can continue to shout, scream, and create the best life within the environment while knowing the possibility of their voice not being heard. Overall, he stresses the need to engage and be informed while living a balanced life.