Natural and Artificial Intelligence

A panel of distinguished scholars explores AI’s limitations in achieving true sentience, creativity, and reasoning. Panelists critique predictions of AI surpassing human intelligence, such as Ray Kurzweil’s singularity theory, emphasizing that current AI models rely on statistical patterns rather than genuine understanding. The discussion highlights concerns about AI displacing human jobs while affirming the irreplaceability of human creativity and purpose. Read More ›

Jim Tour highlights a groundbreaking method called flash graphene, a process that converts carbon-based materials, including waste, into valuable graphene at low cost and high efficiency. The technology promises a cost-effective, scalable solution for waste management, resource recovery, and advancing material science. Walt de Heer discusses his work on epitaxial graphene, a material made by growing graphene layers on silicon Read More ›

Matt McIlwain reflects on the history, significance, and evolving focus of the COSM Technology Summit. He discusses the rapid advancements in applied AI, its transformative potential, and its impact on businesses and capital markets. He raises questions about how AI influences life and investment decisions, emphasizing optimism and adaptability in embracing new models. Matt McIlwain is Managing Director of Madrona Read More ›

Lloyd Watts discusses the significant challenge posed by hallucinations in large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT. While these models often generate fluent and useful responses, they occasionally produce incorrect or misleading information, referred to as “hallucinations.” Watts highlights that this problem, acknowledged by major tech companies like Google, remains unsolved despite their advanced efforts. He argues that hallucinations are Read More ›

Gabriel Rene discusses how autonomous agents have transformative capacity to handle the scale and complexity of modern problems that exceed human cognitive limits. However, despite advancements, current AI systems, including large language models (LLMs), fall short of true reasoning and reliability, often producing errors and inconsistencies. The session critiques overhyped AI promises, referencing setbacks like Apple’s decision not to invest Read More ›

Thomas Lehrman discusses the role of research and development (R&D) in the U.S., framed within historical, current, and potential future contexts. Exploring historical and current successes and challenges, he argues for decentralizing R&D funding by using block grants and encouraging state-level innovation in funding mechanisms, similar to charter school and scholarship tax credit models. Thomas D. Lehrman is Managing Partner Read More ›

Bryan Mistele and Swami Sivasubramanian discuss AI’s role in cloud technology and Amazon’s strategic involvement in the field, surveying AI’s utility in such areas as transportation, healthcare, finance, and customer service. Bryan Mistele is CEO and co-founder of transportation analytics company INRIX. Swami Sivasubramanian is VP of Amazon Web Services (AI/Data).

George Gilder and Robert Metcalfe explore the evolution of semiconductor technology and the emerging shift from traditional chips to waferscale integration (WSI). Gilder reflects on how the “Planar Revolution” in integrated circuits, initiated by figures like Bob Noyce and Carver Mead, fundamentally changed computing by introducing flat, integrated circuits. This led to the proliferation of microchips. However, the current chip-centric Read More ›

Is there scientific proof of the soul? Many scientists and doctors believe that there is no such thing as the soul. That there is no part of us that persists beyond death. We are not spiritual in any respect. We are made up of cells and tissue, and completely controlled by a material organ in our heads: the brain. In Read More ›

Larry Sanger argues for the urgent need to preserve knowledge in a decentralized, open-source manner to combat increasing censorship and control by big tech companies. Sanger criticizes the centralization of information and highlights how platforms like Wikipedia, Facebook, and Google have shifted towards promoting establishment narratives while suppressing alternative viewpoints. He advocates for the creation of many independent, digitally signed Read More ›