Emily M. Bender (ChatGPT expert) is a linguist, a scholar of the societal impact of language AI and a professor at the University of Washington where she’s director of the Computational Linguistics Laboratory. She recently became internet-famous for her no-nonsense, almost comical, papers that criticise the hype around large language models (LLMs) and ChatGPT. Her message is: Don’t believe the tech bro’ hype; it’s spin!
In this chat we cover whether AI can take over the world; the real motives behind Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s excited calls for an “AI pause”; where longtermism, the singularity, effective altruism, pro-natalism and transhumanism (I’ve covered these in previous eps and on my Substack) all fit into the palaver; plus what we really should be terrified about. This is a thoroughly important and correcting conversation.
SHOW NOTES
I flag this explainer that I wrote on my Substack: Say it isn’t so: Human Eugenics
You can read Emily’s papers “On the Dangers of Stochastic Parrots” and the “Octopus Paper”
Here’s the Statement from the listed authors of Stochastic Parrots on the “AI pause” letter
Emily also wanted to point everyone to this paper on AI Safety vs. AI Ethics
And if you want to do more of a deep dive into all this, check out her podcast
If you need to know a bit more about me… head to my "about" page
For more such conversations subscribe to my Substack newsletter, it’s where I interact the most!
Get your copy of my book, This One Wild and Precious Life
Let’s connect on Instagram
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
DR SIMON LONGSTAFF: The world needs ethical heroes (here’s how to be one)
YAEL STONE: On loving the messiness of wokism and being wrong
BEST OF: TIM BROWN. This chat with my meditation teacher is one of the most
BEST OF: OLIVER BURKEMAN. Because his 4000 weeks theory became very hot.
BEST OF: DR JILL BOLTE TAYLOR. Learning to live in the right brain – possibly the best New Year hack ever.
BEST OF: DAVID POCOCK. Want to know more about the Australian Senator making waves in Canberra?
BEST OF: SIA.The chat where I make the artist cry.
I FOUND MAMMOTH DUDE: Special episode
AZIZ ABU SARAH: A radical Palestinian peace broker on how to solve wicked conflicts
SETH GODIN: Ratcheting up the climate fight...with capitalism!
BAYO AKOMOLAFE: The times are urgent, let’s slow down and become a fugitive
HOLDEN KARNOFSKY: The most important century is now. Blimey
CLARE PRESS: There is no such thing as sustainable fashion. Now what?
JENNIFER ROBINSON: Public educated kids speak out!
BEAU MILES: become a backyard adventurer.
KIERAN SETIYA: How to love living a hard life
KIM STANLEY ROBINSON: The greatest living sci-fi author goes hiking
MATT BROWNE: The rise of the bro-caster guru (it’s a thing!)
MARY ANN SIEGHART: Smash the authority gap!
ELISE BOHAN: Ah shit, transhumanism….
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Modern West
Hamish & Andy
The Howie Games
Motley Fool Money
Just the Gist
The Briefing