Anders Sandberg joins me to discuss superintelligence and its profound implications for human psychology, markets, and governance. We talk about physical bottlenecks, tensions between the technosphere and the biosphere, and the long-term cultural and physical forces shaping civilization. We conclude with Sandberg explaining the difficulties of designing reliable AI systems amidst rapid change and coordination risks.
Timestamps: 00:00:00 Preview and intro. 00:04:20 2030 superintelligence scenario. 00:11:55 Status, post-scarcity, and reshaping human psychology. 00:16:00 Physical limits: energy, datacenter, and waste-heat bottlenecks. 00:23:48 Technosphere vs biosphere. 00:28:42 Culture and physics as long-run drivers of civilization. 00:40:38 How superintelligence could upend markets and governments. 00:50:01 State inertia: why governments lag behind companies. 00:59:06 Value lock-in, censorship, and model alignment. 01:08:32 Emergent AI ecosystems and coordination-failure risks. 01:19:34 Predictability vs reliability: designing safe systems. 01:30:32 Crossing the reliability threshold. 01:38:25 Personal reflections on accelerating change.
Quantum Computing Innovation In Pharma — Dr. Thomas Ehmer, Ph.D. — Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
Dr. Thomas Ehmer, Ph.D. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tehmer/) is a seasoned technology strategist with over two decades of experience in IT innovation, business development, and R&D within the pharmaceutical industry, and co-founder of the Quantum Interest Group, at Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany (https://www.emdgroup.com/en).
Dr. Ehmer currently is in the Sector Data Office — AI Governance and Innovation Incubator at Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, where he scouts emerging and disruptive technologies, demonstrating their potential value for R&D applications, with a focus on quantum technologies.
Throughout his career at Merck KGaA Darmstadt, Germany, Dr. Ehmer has played a pivotal role in shaping IT strategy, business process optimization, and digital transformation across the entire pharmaceutical value chain, currently focusing on transparent AI and how and where emerging technology can help patients live a better life. His expertise spans technology scouting, business analysis, and IT program leadership, having successfully driven major global projects.
Beyond his corporate career, Dr. Ehmer is an active private seed investor and has contributed to quantum computing research and applications in drug discovery, authoring publications on the potential of quantum computing and machine learning in pharmaceutical R&D (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/9783527840748.ch26).
Engineering biology applies synthetic biology to address global environmental challenges like bioremediation, biosequestration, pollutant monitoring, and resource recovery. This perspective outlines innovations in engineering biology, its integration with other technologies (e.g., nanotechnology, IoT, AI), and commercial ventures leveraging these advancements. We also discuss commercialisation and scaling challenges, biosafety and biosecurity considerations including biocontainment strategies, social and political dimensions, and governance issues that must be addressed for successful real-world implementation. Finally, we highlight future perspectives and propose strategies to overcome existing hurdles, aiming to accelerate the adoption of engineering biology for environmental solutions.
The scale of global environmental challenges requires a multi-pronged approach, which utilises all the technologies at our disposal. Here, authors provide their perspective on the potential of engineering biology for environmental biotechnology, summarizing their thoughts on the key challenges and future possibilities for the field.
SpaceX is making significant advancements in its Starship program, with plans for increased production, upcoming Mars missions, and ongoing developments in technology and infrastructure, despite facing some challenges ## ## Questions to inspire discussion.
🚀 Q: What is SpaceX’s target for Starship launches to Mars in 2026? A: SpaceX aims to launch 5 Starships to Mars in 2026, with Elon Musk estimating a 50/50 chance of meeting the 2026 Mars window.
🌎 Q: Which region on Mars is the primary landing target? A: The Arcadia region is the top candidate for landing locations due to its large ice deposits. Mission Objectives.
🛰️ Q: What is the main goal of the first Starship flight to Mars? A: The first flight aims to prove the ability to reach Mars by sending minimum viable vehicles to maximize learning and demonstrate key technologies.
🏗️ Q: What are the objectives for the second Starship flight to Mars? A: The second flight will focus on landing initial infrastructure, confirming resource availability, preparing landing areas, and delivering equipment for future human missions. Resource Utilization.
⛏️ Q: What are the key goals for the third Starship flight to Mars? A: The third flight will prioritize resource mining, propellant generation, road and pad construction, habitat building, and increasing power generation and storage.
In this episode, we return to the subject of existential risks, but with a focus on what actions can be taken to eliminate or reduce these risks.
Our guest is James Norris, who describes himself on his website as an existential safety advocate. The website lists four primary organizations which he leads: the International AI Governance Alliance, Upgradable, the Center for Existential Safety, and Survival Sanctuaries.
Previously, one of James’ many successful initiatives was Effective Altruism Global, the international conference series for effective altruists. He also spent some time as the organizer of a kind of sibling organization to London Futurists, namely Bay Area Futurists. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a triple major in psychology, sociology, and philosophy, as well as with minors in too many subjects to mention.
Human cyborgs are individuals who integrate advanced technology into their bodies, enhancing their physical or cognitive abilities. This fusion of man and machine blurs the line between science fiction and reality, raising questions about the future of humanity, ethics, and the limits of human potential. From bionic limbs to brain-computer interfaces, cyborg technology is rapidly evolving, pushing us closer to a world where humans and machines become one.
“Disembodied Brains: Understanding our Intuitions on Human-Animal Neuro-Chimeras and Human Brain Organoids” by John H. Evans Book Link: https://amzn.to/40SSifF “Introduction to Organoid Intelligence: Lecture Notes on Computer Science” by Daniel Szelogowski Book Link: https://amzn.to/3Eqzf4C “The Emerging Field of Human Neural Organoids, Transplants, and Chimeras: Science, Ethics, and Governance” by The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine Book Link: https://amzn.to/4hLR1Oe (Affiliate links: If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.) Playlist: • Two AI’s Discuss: The Quantum Physics… The hosts explore the ethical and scientific implications of brain organoids and synthetic biological intelligence (SBI). Several sources discuss the potential for consciousness and sentience in these systems, prompting debate on their moral status and the need for ethical guidelines in research. A key focus is determining at what point, if any, brain organoids or SBI merit moral consideration similar to that afforded to humans or animals, influencing research limitations and regulations. The texts also examine the use of brain organoids as a replacement for animal testing in research, highlighting the potential benefits and challenges of this approach. Finally, the development of “Organoid Intelligence” (OI), combining organoids with AI, is presented as a promising but ethically complex frontier in biocomputing. Our sources discuss several types of brain organoids, which are 3D tissue cultures derived from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that self-organize to model features of the developing human brain. Here’s a brief overview: • Cerebral Organoids: This term is often used interchangeably with “brain organoids”. They are designed to model the human neocortex and can exhibit complex brain activity. These organoids can replicate the development of the brain in-vitro up to the mid-fetal period. • Cortical Organoids: These are a type of brain organoid specifically intended to model the human neocortex. They are formed of a single type of tissue and represent one important brain region. They have been shown to develop nerve tracts with functional output. • Whole-brain Organoids: These organoids are not developed with a specific focus, like the forebrain or cerebellum. They show electrical activity very similar to that of preterm infant brains. • Region-specific Organoids: These are designed to model specific regions of the brain such as the forebrain, midbrain, or hypothalamus. For example, midbrain-specific organoids can contain functional dopaminergic and neuromelanin-producing neurons. • Optic Vesicle-containing Brain Organoids (OVB-organoids): These organoids develop bilateral optic vesicles, which are light sensitive, and contain cellular components of a developing optic vesicle, including primitive corneal epithelial and lens-like cells, retinal pigment epithelia, retinal progenitor cells, axon-like projections, and electrically active neuronal networks. • Brain Assembloids: These are created when organoids from different parts of the brain are placed next to each other, forming links. • Brainspheres/Cortical Spheroids: These are simpler models that primarily resemble the developing in-vivo human prenatal brain, and are particularly useful for studying the cortex. Unlike brain organoids, they do not typically represent multiple brain regions. • Mini-brains: This term has been debunked in favor of the more accurate “brain organoid”. These various types of brain organoids offer diverse models for studying brain development, function, and disease. Researchers are also working to improve these models by incorporating features like vascularization and sensory input. #BrainOrganoids #organoid #Bioethics #OrganoidIntelligence #WetwareComputing #Sentience #ArtificialConsciousness #Neuroethics #AI #Biocomputing #NeuralNetworks #ConsciousnessResearch #PrecautionaryPrinciple #AnimalTestingAlternatives #ResearchEthics #EmergingTechnology #skeptic #podcast #synopsis #books #bookreview #ai #artificialintelligence #booktube #aigenerated #documentary #alternativeviews #aideepdive #science #hiddenhistory #futurism #videoessay #ethics
Whether it’s CRMs, project management tools, payment processors, or lead management tools — your workforce is using SaaS applications by the pound. Organizations often rely on traditional CASB solutions for protecting against malicious access and data exfiltration, but these fall short for protecting against shadow SaaS, data damage, and more.
A new report, Understanding SaaS Security Risks: Why CASB Solutions Fail to Cover ‘Shadow’ SaaS and SaaS Governance, highlighting the pressing security challenges faced by enterprises using SaaS applications. The research underscores the growing inefficacy of traditional CASB solutions and introduces a revolutionary browser-based approach to SaaS security that ensures full visibility and real-time protection against threats.
Below, we bring the main highlights of the report. Read the full report here.
Artificial Intelligence is evolving rapidly, bringing us closer to the Singularity—a future where AI surpasses human intelligence. This shift could transform every aspect of life, from jobs to technology, creating both exciting possibilities and significant risks. As AI continues to advance at an unprecedented pace, understanding its impact on society is more crucial than ever.
🔍 Key Topics Covered: The rapid evolution of AI and its connection to the looming Singularity, where machines may surpass human intelligence. How AI could reshape industries, jobs, and even human life as we know it. The potential risks of uncontrolled AI growth, including the rise of misinformation, biased outcomes, and the threat of AI-designed chemical weapons. The need for a global governance framework to regulate and monitor AI advancements. The ethical and philosophical questions surrounding AI’s role in society, including its impact on human consciousness and labor.
🎥 What You’ll Learn: The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its potential to reach the Singularity sooner than expected. How AI systems like neural networks and symbolic systems impact modern technology and the dangers they pose when left unchecked. The role AI could play in jobs, governance, and the potential for global cooperation to ensure safe AI development. Insight into real-world concerns such as disinformation, biased AI systems, and even the possibility of AI leading to catastrophic societal changes.
📊 Why This Matters: These developments highlight the critical need for responsible AI governance as the technology progresses toward potentially surpassing human intelligence. Understanding the rapid growth of AI and its implications helps us prepare for the future, where machines could fundamentally change society. Whether you’re interested in technology, philosophy, or the future of work, this content offers an in-depth look at the powerful impact AI will have on the world.
*DISCLAIMER*: The content presented is for informational and entertainment purposes, offering insights into the future of AI based on current trends and technological research. The creators are not AI experts or legal professionals, and the information should not be taken as professional advice. Viewer discretion is advised due to the speculative nature of the topics discussed. The views expressed are those of the content creator and do not necessarily represent any affiliated individuals or organizations.
