logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2020
44m 5s

The Technological Singularity Pt. 1

SPOTIFY STUDIOS
About this episode
Technologies exist today that could lay the groundwork for the development of fully conscious artificial intelligence. It begs the question: could our own technology replace us as the dominant intelligent species on Earth?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 
Up next
Aug 20
Australia’s Area 51
First, they said Pine Gap was for space research. Then, it was a weather station. It’s now called a defense base, but Australians often refer to it as their country’s Area 51. Some suspect the facility is housing alien life and giant UFOs that have crash landed on earth. Others s ... Show More
39m 15s
Aug 13
Was the “Pirate King” also the King’s Spy?
In 1695, “The Pirate King” Henry Every pulled off a heist, evaded a global manhunt, and vanished with his newfound treasure. He was never found…or was he? A new theory suggests the King of England not only knew what happened to Henry – he hired the “missing” pirate as a spy. Keep ... Show More
43m 16s
Aug 6
Japan’s Evaporated People
Imagine you wake up tomorrow and the person you depend upon most in this world is gone. No trace, no goodbyes, just vanished. Then, you find out they planned their disappearance — and have no intention of returning. In Japan, this phenomenon has a name: Johatsu, or “evaporated pe ... Show More
44m 36s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2022
Artificial Intelligence
In the final part of our Cyber Mysteries series, we’re asking: What happens when artificial intelligence is embedded in our lives? From the singularity to digital immortality… A.I. companions to robotic overlords… Transhumanism to the metaverse… How far can we go? Learn more abou ... Show More
38m 21s
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
Aug 2018
Thinking Machines | Artificial Intelligence | S3-E1
Artificial Intelligence is no longer the stuff of science fiction. And it’s about to get much more powerful: machines that can reason, create, predict the future, even dream. AI is likely to be one of the most transformative technologies of the 21st-century.This is the first in o ... Show More
39m 49s
Mar 2023
How will AI change the world? | George Zaidan and Stuart Russell
In the coming years, artificial intelligence is probably going to change your life -- and likely the entire world. But people have a hard time agreeing on exactly how AI will affect our society. Can we build AI systems that help us fix the world? Or are we doomed to a robotic tak ... Show More
7m 45s
Apr 2022
6 big ethical questions about the future of AI | Genevieve Bell
Artificial intelligence is all around us ... and the future will only bring more of it. How can we ensure the AI systems we build are responsible, safe and sustainable? Ethical AI expert Genevieve Bell shares six framing questions to broaden our understanding of future technology ... Show More
15m 28s
Apr 2024
Futurist Amy Webb on What's Coming (and What's Here)
Quantitative futurist Amy Webb talks to us about the three technologies that make up the "super cycle" that we're all living through right now: artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and biotechnology, and why, despite the unnerving change, we still need to do some serious fu ... Show More
1h 13m
Aug 2022
Babbage: Could artificial intelligence become sentient?
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 m ... Show More
44m 50s
Jun 2024
How AI is unlocking the secrets of nature and the universe | Demis Hassabis
Can AI help us answer life's biggest questions? In this visionary conversation, Google DeepMind cofounder and CEO Demis Hassabis delves into the history and incredible capabilities of AI with head of TED Chris Anderson. Hassabis explains how AI models like AlphaFold — which accur ... Show More
26m 21s