Random responses – a review of the ‘Inevitable’ podcast from BiP

I listened to ‘Inevitable’ a podcast by BiP found on Spotify and narrated by Barney Cooper. This is my review.

The premise of 'Inevitable', although seemingly strong in the relentless repetition of the word inevitable, comes across as too fluid, parsing the inevitability of AI without any continuous thread of an argument. It is presented in a dramatic and stylised way but I’m afraid it hasn’t hit the mark for me. There is some great content across the episodes I have listened to but it didn’t always flow. I hope the key messages are clearer to others, I really struggle with the concept of anything being ‘inevitable’.

There is some great content across the episodes I have listened to...

Trailer

• The Trailer asserts “not everything is under our control” that there are no do-overs and it rejects any notion of self-determination. Some things are just out of our control. Technology, artificial intelligence, and digitalization are “inevitable” with a strong implication that we cannot shape our future, the genie is out of the bag.
• I’ve obviously watched far too many dystopian movies because technology’s dominance is not inevitable, as far as I can see. In the case of an apocalypse, if there is an interruption in the ?supply of energy, loss of control of satellites in orbit and/or a lack of expertise to sustain food production or rebuild then we are back to basics and technology is lost. All of these are threatened or lost in the best of futuristic movies, even in Zombie movies I’m told, (which aren’t my cup of tea!) so 'inevitable' needs to have a lot of caveats.

Episode 1 is ‘The inevitable protopia of technological progress’ is written by Simone Gorlero

• “Technology has transformed our world.” Evolution is not slowing down, there is nothing on the horizon to fight inevitable technological forces. Humanity cannot resist submitting to fate. (Fate? It's a concept that will divide the planet in terms of its efficacy.) The term ‘predisposition’ is used to describe a directionality for technology that is ‘inevitable’
• The idea that the advance of technology is inevitable is described as part of “a momentum of technological change” that has “transformed digital technologies.” The meaning of inevitability is that “industries will collapse, professions will disappear (giving way to others), this will “shake international borders and there will be turmoil, conflict and confusion.” This part of the podcast is surprisingly all prophecy and doom.
• Exploring the response to technology with guest experts there is an acknowledgement that advances in technology are not accepted by everybody. It hints at a risk I have discussed with some senior leaders that the pace of adapting to change for a society can also result in a multi-tier system excluding those without the right skills for the future.
• Celebrating growth and the inventiveness of the human race, Barney describes a ‘protopia’ supporting the evolution of new technologies, as opposed to a utopia (without challenges) and the dystopian fears he outlined previously. Every significant innovation attracts skepticism “even the brightest minds can underestimate the potential of new technologies.”

Even if the progression of technological advancements is exponential, there will be choices.

• Finally, I hear some recognition that the ‘inevitable’ advance of technology shouldn’t mean we should avoid intervention altogether. We should guide and control, humanity will shape the future. This aligns more with my thinking, that even if the progression of technological advancements is exponential, there will be choices.

Episode 2, ‘Alien Intelligence and the Future of Mankind’ is written by Simone Gorlero

I love the idea of using AI like magic, giving a ‘pinch’ of AI to something and producing something better, something new.

• I love the idea of using AI like magic, giving a ‘pinch’ of AI to something and producing something better, something new. AI has to be seen as ‘augmenting’ our ability to evolve and grow, not disabling and replacing us until humankind are wiped out. There’s a helpful inference in the idea of waving a magic wand over existing technology that AI can make life better.
• Barney describes a now dated thesis that AI would reside in a super computer and that there would be multiple instances of such. He then describes the advent of Open AI as part of a super organism, otherwise known as the internet and suggests that already we do not know “where our mind begins and where the artificial one does.” (Elon Musk, eat your heart out!) He returns to the inevitability of the process that will make everything smarter, asserting it has already begun.
• Is it inevitable that technology will soon become the best diagnostician? As human beings ?we harbour the belief that whilst AI and Androids can take over some tasks, there is a trait in humanity which can interpret an inference, recognise uncertainty and offer comfort to a child? Can AI have soul?

As human beings ?we harbour the belief that whilst AI and Androids can take over some tasks, there is a trait in humanity which can interpret an inference, recognise uncertainty and give comfort to a child?

• The barrage of technologies listed in this next bit, provide a vision of the future, familiar for those of us working in this space, creating a landscape of potential solutions, applications for digital technologies and AI that will work together to create a better future. The vision for a Healthcare system illustrated here is spectacular. Advances in the Energy sector describe the criticality of technological developments to replace in the space of years the sources of energy we built over the last 100 years, a perspective given by Maurizio Molinari.

The vision for a Healthcare system illustrated here is spectacular.

• Whilst Episode 2 is a fantastic romp through the potential value of AI, the inevitability described doesn’t address geopolitical challenges, the security and legal challenges to governing AI. History’s greatest advances have often given one part of humanity an unfair head start. My biggest fear is not for the evolution of these technologies but our ability as the human race to ensure their benefits are shared equitably.

...a fantastic romp through the potential value of AI

• And here are the titular aliens. Describing how humans will continue to invent new types of intelligence, Barney describes these new types of intelligence as ‘artificial aliens’ (AA) rather than AI because they will think so differently.
• Finally, the idea that AI will cause an identity crisis for humans. Barney describes the supplanting of everything that humans have considered unique about themselves, as being a crisis for humanity as AI becomes capable of replicating and improving on everything we do (even the human stuff!) The suggestion is we need AI’s to define humanity “We need AI’s to tell us who we are.” I'd like to explore more because I strongly disagree.

The suggestion is we need AI’s to define humanity “We need AI’s to tell us who we are.” ...I strongly disagree.

You can listen here:

https://open.spotify.com/show/4PVske8oOhWa0Mtv3yMAZc?si=8ceccc1b050041c0

I look forward to future episodes!