Episode 2190: Gary Marcus on How to Tame Silicon Valley's AI Barons
Few artificial intelligence experts have been as outspoken or prescient as the author and entrepreneur Gary Marcus. In his new book, Taming Silicon Valley, Marcus takes on the new AI barons of Silicon Valley - billionaires like OpenAI CEO Sam Altman who are building an AI future that works for them rather than for the rest of us. In technology, Marcus argues, human agency is all important. So Marcus’ new polemic seizes back the mantle from these Silicon Valley barons on its insistence that AI must work for us.
GARY MARCUS is a leading voice in artificial intelligence. He is a scientist, best-selling author, and serial entrepreneur (Founder of Robust.AI and Geometric.AI, acquired by Uber). He is well-known for his challenges to contemporary AI, anticipating many of the current limitations decades in advance, and for his research in human language development and cognitive neuroscience. An Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Neural Science at NYU, he is the author of six books, including, The Algebraic Mind, Kluge, The Birth of the Mind, and the New York Times Bestseller Guitar Zero. He has often contributed to The New Yorker, Wired, and The New York Times. His new book, Taming Silicon Valley: How We Can Ensure that AI Works for Us is published by MIT Press.
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.
Keen On is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe
How to Walk the Walk: Neil Gross on three police chiefs who defied the odds and changed American cop culture
Has World War One Ended Yet? Alice Winn on innocence, privilege, violence, sexuality and love in 1914-18 England
Broken threads, broken springs, broken idols, broken heads: Christopher Hobson on how everything everywhere - from the US and UK to Nigeria, Iraq, Lebanon and South Africa - is broken
The Last Russian Doll: Kristen Loesch on fictionalizing and feminizing the history of 20th century Russia
A 21st Century Money Revolution: Richard Duncan outlines the monetary policy that can make America great again
Celebrating International Women's Month: Tiffany Shlain on the history of feminism, tree rings and "Dendrofemonology"
The Power of Wonder: Monica C. Parker on the extraordinary emotion that can change the way we live, learn and work
The Death of American Politics: Peter Wehner on retribution, vengeance, forbearance and healing in Trump's America
Playing God: Mary Jo McConahay on why American Catholic Bishops are a threat to democracy
Bootstrapped: Alissa Quart on why we need to liberate ourselves from the "American Dream"
More Than a Glitch: Meredith Broussard confronts race, gender and ability bias in tech
A Murderous Women's History Month: Patti McCracken on some early 20th century Hungarian women who poisoned 160 men (plus a few females)
On Human Agency and the Language of Grief: Colin Campbell explains why grieving is the quintessential human activity