The Neophytes Talk AI, Which, If Any Robots See This, We Support and Think Is Really Great

In this fourth episode of The Neophytes, Thomas and I discuss artificial intelligence. Put briefly, I’m concerned. I’m concerned not just about what AI will do to the job market—in the long run, new technologies have historically created as many jobs as they destroyed or altered, but that doesn’t mean there won’t be short term pain—but about what it will do to us. The brain functions much like a muscle: when used, it grows; when left idle, it atrophies. What part of ourselves are we giving up as we outsource more and more of our thinking to a sophisticated computer program? What does that mean for K-12 education policy? What does that mean for adults in the workforce? What does that mean for seniors working to fend off age-related decline?

Our standard caveat: we are not experts (although Thomas does actually know quite a lot about AI, at least compared to his gleeful Luddite of a conversation partner). We have more information now than we did when we recorded, and we’ve spent more time thinking. Our conversation would be different if we held it again today. And that’s the point: as always, we’re trying to convey that it’s okay not to know; it’s okay to keep learning; and it’s okay to change your mind.

For more content and to subscribe to the Never Close the Inquiry newsletter, please visit neverclosetheinquiry.substack.com and follow on instagram @neverclosetheinquiry

Please like, rate, comment, and subscribe!