Technology and human consciousness are converging in ways that challenge our fundamental understanding of creativity and connection. As AI systems become increasingly sophisticated at mimicking human thought patterns, we're entering uncharted territory where machines don't just assist creative work—they actively participate in it. But what does this mean for the future of human creativity and our relationship with technology? How do we maintain meaningful human connections in a world where emotional labor is increasingly commoditized? As we navigate this rapidly evolving landscape, the question isn't just whether machines can think, but how their thinking will transform our own.
Ken Liu is an American author of speculative fiction. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards, he wrote the Dandelion Dynasty, a silkpunk epic fantasy series, as well as short story collections The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories and The Hidden Girl and Other Stories. His latest book is All that We See or Seem, a techno-thriller starring an AI-whispering hacker who saves the world. He also translated Cixin Liu’s seminal book series, the Three-Body Problem.
He’s often involved in media adaptations of his work. Recent projects include “The Regular,” under development as a TV series; “Good Hunting,” adapted as an episode in season one of Netflix’s breakout adult animated series Love, Death + Robots; and AMC’s Pantheon, with Craig Silverstein as executive producer, adapted from an interconnected series of Liu’s short stories.
Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Liu worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer, and litigation consultant. Liu frequently speaks on a variety of topics, including futurism, machine-augmented creativity, history of technology, bookmaking, and the mathematics of origami.
In the episode, Adel and Ken explore the intersection of technology and storytelling, how sci-fi can inform AI's trajectory, the role of AI in reshaping human relationships and creativity, how AI is changing art, and much more.
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