logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2022
44m 50s

Babbage: Could artificial intelligence b...

The Economist
About this episode

A debate has been raging in technology circles, after an engineer at Google claimed in June that the company’s chatbot was sentient. Host Kenneth Cukier explores how to define “sentience” and whether it could be attained by AI. If machines can exhibit consciousness, it presents myriad ethical and legal considerations. Is society equipped to deal with the implications of conscious AI?


Find The Economist’s list of the five best books to read on artificial intelligence here


For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Sprawl of duty: Trump’s tariff drama
Once again President Donald Trump extended the deadline for spine-stiffening tariffs to go into effect on trading partners. We look at the effects of all the uncertainty. Brazil once dominated the world of football; we ask where it went wrong and assess the route to a comeback. A ... Show More
21m 53s
Yesterday
The French reconnection: Macron in Britain
Anglo-French relations have not been so good since before the Brexit vote. Beneath the state-visit pageantry, though, there is much co-operation for President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Keir Starmer to discuss. Gangs have infiltrated many of Latin America’s mining operati ... Show More
21m 10s
Jul 7
Trump card: can he broker a Gaza deal?
While Israel and Hamas officials discuss a ceasefire via mediators in Qatar, a key meeting will take place at the White House today, when Israel’s prime minister talks to the US president. Why the Chinese Communist Party is removing alcohol from official events. And remembering J ... Show More
21m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
Babbage: The science that built the AI revolution—part one
What is intelligence? In the middle of the 20th century, the inner workings of the human brain inspired computer scientists to build the first “thinking machines”. But how does human intelligence actually relate to the artificial kind? This is the first episode in a four-part ser ... Show More
42m 57s
Feb 2022
Babbage: Rise of the robots
Relations between people and robots are being reset. Host Alok Jha explores why the pace of automation is likely to accelerate, and what it means for societies and jobs. We also ask how advancements in AI and robotics can improve collaboration between humans and machines. For ful ... Show More
36m 54s
Dec 2022
Babbage: The tech behind ChatGPT—an episode from our archive
ChatGPT is just one example of a new type of artificial intelligence, which could become the next major general-purpose technology. This week, we revisit one of our favourite episodes of 2022, which explains why "foundational AI" promises to be so transformative. The Economist’s ... Show More
44m 52s
Jan 2024
Babbage: Sam Altman and Satya Nadella on their vision for AI
OpenAI and Microsoft are leaders in generative artificial intelligence (AI). OpenAI has built GPT-4, one of the world’s most sophisticated large language models (LLMs) and Microsoft is injecting those algorithms into its products, from Word to Windows.  At the World Economic Foru ... Show More
45 m
Jun 2023
Could artificial intelligence lead to human extinction?
Artificial intelligence is a powerful technology that can transform human lives but industry leaders warn that the tool they built could one day pose an existential threat to humanity. So, how can governments regulate AI without stifling innovation?  Join host Mohammed Jamjoom. G ... Show More
24m 33s
Jun 2022
Artificial intelligence: conscious or just very convincing?
Alex Hern reports on recent developments in artificial intelligence and how a Google employee became convinced an AI chatbot was sentient. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus 
33m 49s
Sep 2023
The Coming Wave
There is no more consequential technological development in recent years than widely accessible artificial intelligence. And there are few more consequential contemporary figures in the artificial intelligence field than Mustafa Suleyman, who is the co-founder of DeepMind Technol ... Show More
1h 1m
Nov 2018
Artificial Intelligence
An artificial intelligence capable of improving itself runs the risk of growing intelligent beyond any human capacity and outside of our control. Josh explains why a superintelligent AI that we haven’t planned for would be extremely bad for humankind. (Original score by Point Lob ... Show More
41m 52s
Oct 2023
Ethics in AI
As the adage states, “with great power comes great responsibility” and as Artificial intelligence emerges as one of the fastest growing tools across multiple sectors of industry, there is a responsibility of leaders in these fields to determine a code of ethics in how AI will be ... Show More
28m 21s
Dec 2023
Superintelligent AI: can chatbots think?
Are generative AI systems such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT really intelligent? Large language models such as GPT 4 appear to use human-level cognitive abilities when they engage in legal reasoning, write essays or solve complex problems. Hosts John Thornhill and Madhumita Murgia speak to ... Show More
29m 27s