302 - Guest: Ricky Sethi, Artificial Metacognition Researcher, part 2

302 - Guest: Ricky Sethi, Artificial Metacognition Researcher, part 2

Author: aiandyou March 30, 2026 Duration: 36:06
This and all episodes at: https://aiandyou.net/ . Have you ever thought about your thoughts? About what or how you’re thinking? It gets real meta real fast, doesn’t it? That’s called metacognition, and humans and certain other creatures do it. But what about AI? We’re coming back to the interview with Ricky Sethi, Professor of Computer Science at Fitchburg State University, and researcher into artificial metacognition, or whether and how machines can think about thinking. Ricky’s research spans fact-checking misinformation, virtual communities, and artificial metacognition, where he focuses on designing GenAI systems that can monitor, evaluate, and regulate their own reasoning. He is Director of Research for the Madsci Network, and an Adjunct Professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He has over 50 scholarly publications, and his work has been covered in outlets such as the Chicago Tribune, The Conversation, and Communications of the ACM. We conclude the interview by talking about his research into disinformation, measuring the emotions associated with it, how clusters of models in different roles could assess AIs for lying and implement AI safety, and how AI is impacting the job opportunities in research. All this plus our usual look at today's AI headlines! Transcript and URLs referenced at HumanCusp Blog.        

The conversation around artificial intelligence is often filled with either breathless hype or dire warnings, leaving little room for grounded, practical understanding. Artificial Intelligence and You cuts through that noise. This isn't a lecture series from a distant ivory tower; it's a guided exploration meant for anyone curious about how these tools are reshaping the everyday. Each episode takes a focused look at a single facet of AI, from the algorithms curating your social media feed to the software that might change how you work. We break down complex concepts into clear, relatable terms, asking the questions that actually matter for your decisions and your future. You'll hear straightforward explanations of how different AI systems function, alongside thoughtful discussions about their real-world implications-the ethical dilemmas, the economic shifts, and the personal impacts that rarely make the headlines. The goal of this podcast is to replace confusion with clarity and anxiety with informed perspective. Whether you're a professional navigating new tools, a student planning a career, or simply a person living in an increasingly digital world, these conversations provide the context you need to form your own opinions. Join us as we move beyond the abstract to examine what AI genuinely means for your life, your community, and the kind of world we're all building together, one line of code at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Artificial Intelligence and You
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