BONUS Episode “Scary Smart” Artificial Intelligence with Mo Gawdat
27th Sep 2021
You might have noticed over the last few episodes that I’ve been keen to discuss subjects slightly leftfield of nutrition and what I’ve traditionally talked about, but fascinating nonetheless.
And I hope you as a listener, who’s time and attention I value so greatly, will trust me as I take you on a bit of a ride. Because ultimately, I hope you agree that the topics I share are always very important.
Mo Gawdat, who you may remember from episode #91 Solving Happiness (linked here) is a person who I cherish and with whom I had a very impactful conversation with, on a personal level. He was the former Chief Business Officer of Google [X], which is Google’s ‘moonshot factory’, author of the international bestselling book ‘Solve for Happy’ and founder of ‘One Billion Happy’. After a long career in tech, Mo made happiness his primary topic of research, diving deeply into literature and conversing on the topic with some of the wisest people in the world on “Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat”.
Mo is an exquisite writer and speaker with deep expertise of technology as well as a passionate appreciation for the importance of human connection and happiness. He possesses a set of overlapping skills and a breadth of knowledge in the fields of both human psychology and tech which is a rarity. His latest piece of work, a book called “Scary Smart” is a timely prophecy and call to action that puts each of us at the center of designing the future of humanity. I know that sounds intense right? But it’s very true.
During his time at Google [X], he worked on the world’s most futuristic technologies, including Artificial Intelligence. During the pod he recalls a story of when the penny dropped for him, just a few years ago, and felt compelled to leave his job. And now, having contributed to AI’s development, he feels a sense of duty to inform the public on the implications of this controversial technology and how we navigate the scary and inevitable intrusion of AI as well as who really is in control. Us.
Today we discuss:
- Pandemic of AI and why the handing COVID is a lesson to learn from
- The difference between collective intelligence, artificial intelligence and super intelligence or Artificial general intelligence
- How machines started creating and coding other machines
- The 3 inevitable outcomes - including the fact that AI is here and they will outsmart us
- Machines will become emotional sentient beings with a Superconsciousness
To understand this episode you have to submit yourself to accepting that what we are creating is essentially another lifeform. Albeit non-biological, it will have human-like attributes in the way they learn as well as a moral value system which could immeasurably improve the human race as we know it. But our destiny lies in how we treat and nurture them as our own. Literally like infants with (as strange as it is to say it) love, compassion, connection and respect.
Episode guests
Mo Gawdat is the former Chief Business Officer of Google [X]; host of the popular podcast, Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat; author of the international bestselling books Solve for Happy; Scary Smart; and That Little Voice in Your Head; founder of One Billion Happy; and Chief AI Officer of Flight Story.
After a 30 year career in tech and serving as Chief Business Officer at Google [X], Google's 'moonshot factory' of innovation, Mo has made happiness his primary topic of research, diving deeply into literature and conversing on the topic with some of the wisest people in the world.
In 2014, motivated by the tragic loss of his son, Ali, Mo began pouring his findings into his international bestselling book, Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy. His mission to help one billion people become happier, #OneBillionHappy, is his moonshot attempt to honor Ali by spreading the message that happiness can be learned and shared to one billion people.
In 2020, Mo launched his chart-topping podcast, Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat, a weekly series of extraordinary interviews that explores the profound questions and obstacles we all face in the pursuit of purpose and happiness in our lives.
In 2021, Mo published Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World, a roadmap detailing how humanity can ensure a symbiotic coexistence with AI when it inevitably becomes a billion times smarter than we are. Since the release of ChatGPT in 2023, Mo has been recognized for his early whistleblowing on AI's unregulated development and has become one of the most globally consulted experts on the topic.
In 2022, Mo published That Little Voice in Your Head: Adjust the Code That Runs Your Brain, a comprehensive user manual for using the human brain optimally to thrive and avoid suffering.
In 2023, Mo co-founded Unstressable, an online course and community for reducing and eliminating stress. It will be accompanied by a book of the same name releasing early 2024.
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