Robert J. Marks II

Robert J. Marks Ph.D. is Senior Fellow and Director of the Bradley Center and is Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Baylor University. Marks is a Fellow of both the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America). He was the former Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and is the current Editor-in-Chief of BIO-Complexity. Marks is author of the books Non-Computable You: What You Do That Artificial Intelligence Never Will Never Do and The Case For Killer Robots. He is co-author of the books For a Greater Purpose: The Life and Legacy of Walter Bradley, Neural Smithing: Supervised Learning in Feedforward Artificial Neural Networks and Introduction to Evolutionary Informatics. For more information, see Dr. Marks’s expanded bio.

Archives

Will AI Make the World Better or Worse?

_{Robert J. Marks
January 15, 2026}

If computers and AI took over the world, would we even notice? Today, host Robert J. Marks ponders this question as he continues his conversation with Dr. Donald Wunsch about his experiences with AI and his recent article in the IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine on artificial general intelligence. In Part 4 of the discussion, Dr. Wunsch argues that computers have already taken over the world without most people noticing. He provides evidence and examples. The conversation also addresses cognitive and emotional processing in AI systems, noting that while machines can simulate emotional recognition, they lack the embodied lived experience humans possess. Wunsch believes that AI represents a transformative force comparable to or exceeding past industrial revolutions. Like the …

125 Flubbed Headline Prompts to AI

_{Double meanings, double trouble: The art of reading between the lines}_{Robert J. Marks
January 15, 2026}

Flubbed headlines are fun. There are typically two meanings. One is the obvious meaning, meant by the writer of the headline. The second is an interpretation, which can be hilarious.

A Pioneer Ahead of His Time: Bernard Widrow and the Origins of Modern AI

_{While history has not always granted him the recognition he deserved, every modern neural network quietly echoes Widrow's ideas.}_{Robert J. Marks
January 12, 2026}

Widrow called his learning machine a neural network because it was loosely based on the 1943 McCulloch-Pitts model of the biological neuron.

Monday Micro Softy 61: Take Five

_{Crack the beat: a logic puzzle in rhythm and time}_{Robert J. Marks
January 9, 2026}

The western scale is based on natural acoustic harmonics from the physics of vibrating strings and resonant acoustics from sound columns.

Artificial Intelligence: Navigating the Hype, Limitations, and Ethics

_{Robert J. Marks
January 8, 2026}

On this episode of Mind Matters News, our conversation continues with Dr. Donald Wunsch on his experiences with AI and his recent article in the IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine about artificial general intelligence. He first reminds us why Artificial General Intelligence is a problematic term and why AGI is very unlikely to arrive by 2030, as some people estimate. Wunsch emphasizes that autonomy is a key capability that current AI systems lack compared to natural intelligence, and that claims of achieving AGI are overstated given the field’s current limitations in this area. Also in this segment, Wunsch cautions about the risks of AI, particularly to privacy, noting various ways AI can erode privacy for those who use it. This is Part 3 of a 6-part …

Monday Microsofty 60: Here’s a Puzzle From Gunsmoke

_{Told to “get out of Dodge” after a shooting, a gunslinger does so at a nearly inexplicable time. Can you solve the puzzle?}_{Robert J. Marks
January 5, 2026}

To solve Microsofty 59, recall that direction of air flow is due to pressure — not size. Which tire is under more pressure?

The Ins and Outs of Scaling Up AI: Dr. Donald Wunsch

_{Robert J. Marks
January 1, 2026}

On this episode of Mind Matters News, we’re continuing our conversation with Dr. Donald Wunsch on his experiences with AI and his recent article in the IEEE Computational Intelligence Magazine about artificial general intelligence. This is the second part of our conversation with Dr. Wunsch, so if you’ve not listened to the first part, we encourage you to do so. In this segment, Dr. Wunsch argues that the concept of “general intelligence” is misguided, and that intelligence is inherently specific to the needs of each organism or individual. Wunsch also discusses the work of Demis Hassabis and DeepMind, who have made significant advances in AI systems like AlphaGo and DeepFold. The discussion also touches on the policy implications of AI development, including the …

Monday Microsofty 59: Alfred Hitchcock’s Low-Pressure Tire

_{Could the tire in the old Hitchcock film really be reinflated in the way shown?}_{Robert J. Marks
December 30, 2025}

The solution to last week’s puzzle is to ask whether the way each of the relationships is created makes any difference.

Monday Microsofty 58: Is a Famous Bassist His Own Grandfather?

_{A Rolling Stone bassist can make such a claim but how far can he take it? Is he also his own grandson?}_{Robert J. Marks
December 22, 2025}

We are reversing our usual order and giving the answer to #57 first. Ben could have one of two possible family relationships to me.

Dr. Donald C. Wunsch: A Level-Headed Approach to AI’s Promise and Peril

_{Robert J. Marks
December 18, 2025}

In today’s episode, host Robert J. Marks begins a multi-episode conversation with Dr. Donald C. Wunsch II, endowed professor of electrical and computer engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology and director of the Kummer Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Systems. Dr. Wunsch has spent decades working on the intersection of engineering AI and real world systems with research spanning neural networks, adaptive systems, machine learning, and AI engineering. In today’s segment, Dr. Wunsch discusses a paper he recently wrote that challenges both techno-optimism and doomsday narratives, arguing that the greatest dangers of AI arise not from autonomous machines, but from human misuse, poor policy and concentrated power. This is Part 1 of a …

Monday Micro Softy 57: My Mother’s Mother-in-Law

_{Can you figure out this relativity puzzle?}_{Robert J. Marks
December 15, 2025}

Part of the trick to solving Monday Microsofty 56 is to decide whether or not to give it a high five.

Robert J. Marks Remembers Tech Pioneer Walter Bradley

_{Robert J. Marks and Andrew McDiarmid
December 11, 2025}

On today’s episode of Mind Matters News, Dr. Robert J. Marks joins Andrew McDiarmid, host of the ID The Future podcast, to share some of his personal anecdotes and professional insights about Dr. Walter Bradley, a scientist, humanitarian, and trailblazer in the world of intelligent design who passed away this year at the age of 81. As Marks explains, one way Bradley greatly impacted the lives of others was through pioneering work in the field of appropriate technology. Bradley was driven to apply his engineering skills to address the needs of third-world countries, realizing they often required technology appropriate for their context, rather than sophisticated materials or weapons. Bradley’s work focused on helping local citizens take the lead at the local level. Marks also …

Micro Softy 56: Elon Musk Parody’s Circle of Numbers

_{The circle of numbers looks pretty simple until you start thinking about it...}_{Robert J. Marks
December 8, 2025}

If you suspected that last week's talk of baseball was just a distraction from the real puzzle hint, now you can find out.

Exploring Consciousness in Human and Artificial Intelligence

_{Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse
December 4, 2025}

Today on Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse conclude their four-part conversation with Dr. Joseph Green on the limitations of modern neuroscience. Green is author of a chapter in the volume Minding the Brain called “On the Limitations of Cutting-Edge Neuroscience.” In today’s final segment, the discussion centers on comparing different models of consciousness, including panpsychism and the simulation hypothesis. The question of consciousness in AI is also addressed. Green notes that while depth in neural networks can lead to more sophisticated abilities, this is not truly an “emergent property” in the strict sense. The issue of alignment, ensuring AI systems like ChatGPT behave in line with human values and intentions, is …

Monday Micro Softy 55: “It Happens Every Spring”

_{Baseball, that is. Here’s a puzzle that takes in baseball's favorite season, summer}_{Robert J. Marks
December 1, 2025}

To solve last week’s puzzle, you don’t need to know the distance. Check the problem again for the number you do need to know.

Doug Smith: A Critical Look at Apple’s Virtual Reality Headset

_{Robert J. Marks and Doug Smith
November 27, 2025}

What happens when you let Big Tech control how you see the world? Apple recently released a new model of the Apple Vision Pro headset. Although it can provide immersive experiences, what are the potential downsides to furthering our connection to the digital realm? On this episode of Mind Matters News out of the vault, host Robert J. Marks welcomes Doug Smith to the show to discuss the human impact of virtual reality technology. Doug is a senior software engineer with Covenant Eyes who is interested in the psychological impact of modern media. Our addiction to screens is addressed in his book Intentional: How Screens Secretly Shape Your Desires and How You Can Break Free. Doug works to help individuals and families break free from screen addiction so they can live out their …

Micro Softy 54: A Plane Problem for Aspiring Engineers

_{The senator is leaving Washington to avoid the governor and their planes are headed in opposite directions}_{Robert J. Marks
November 24, 2025}

How much faster was the governor’s plane goingthan the senator’s?/ChatGPT. Today’s Micro Softy tests whether you are clever enough with math to code computers or be an engineer. Here’s the story: Senator Kornn did not like Governor Friar. Both were from Texas. When Kornn learned that Governor Friar was visiting Washington, DC, Kornn said “This town’s not big enough for the both of us.” So Kornn decided to leave DC for that period. Kornn and Friar get on planes at the same time. One was at Reagan International Airport in DC and the other was at the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) Airport. So each was flying to the other’s airport. Both planes took off at the same time. After a while, Kornn looked out of his first-class window and saw Friar’s plane …

How Neuroscience and Philosophy Combine to Illuminate the Nature of Consciousness

_{Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse
November 20, 2025}

Today on Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse continues their conversation with Dr. Joseph Green on how we can bridge the gap between cutting-edge neuroscience and philosophy of mind. Green is author of a chapter in the volume Minding the Brain called “On the Limitations of Cutting-Edge Neuroscience.” In today’s installment, the discussion first touches on the concept of self-consciousness. Green explains that self-consciousness is a key defining property of humans that is important to understand. Neuroscientists try to study aspects of self-consciousness, like proprioception, but this can often be done reductively and can lose the essence of the full experience. Green goes on to discuss the study of social consciousness as another possible …

Monday Micro Softy 53: Kicking In the Door

_{To solve this puzzle, you will need to sharpen your abductive reasoning skills}_{Robert J. Marks
November 17, 2025}

There are actually two possible solutions to last week's puzzle, depending on how you interpret the pattern of the arithmetic.

Bridging the Gap Between Neuroscience and Philosophy of Mind

_{Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse
November 13, 2025}

On this episode of Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse continue their conversation with Dr. Joseph Green on the limitations of cutting-edge neuroscience. In this segment, the focus turns to the philosophical questions involved. As Dr. Green explains, neuroscience is limited in its ability to answer philosophical questions about the nature of the mind and its relationship to the brain. As a result, the materialistic monist view that humans are nothing but their brains is a belief that goes beyond what neuroscience can actually prove. Dr. Green argues that there is room for alternative metaphysical models that posit some immaterial component to the mind, which neuroscience cannot detect or rule out. This is Part 2 of a three-part conversation. Additional …