Thibaud Henin is a Canadian political scientist based at Concordia University in Montreal.
Dave and Thibaud chat about artificial intelligence from a variety of angles. They focus on algorithms and their interface with patterns of human and non-human behavior, thought, history, life, and physiology. They discuss the concept of AI agency, and of the creation within AI systems of delegated management, agency, and meta-agency roles. They debate the question of whether AI could in fact produce “truly innovative” poetry, art, or literature, or whether it might be condemned to an eternal repetition of wholly non-innovative cultural mush.
They touch on examples such as AI art, AI poetry, AI philosophy, AI lawyers, AI in the justice system, AI music, AI film, AI YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok channels. They touch on the nature of innovation and creative novelty itself, and question whether even human innovation is not simply a matter of random mutations occurring within otherwise fully-patterned natural iterations. They share experiences encountering AI in academia (from the position of professor and researcher) and as parents. They end on a note of skepticism regarding whether it can be ruled out that this podcast is itself a product of generative AI.
Thibaud’s Recommendations:
Stephen Hawking, “The Illustrated A Brief History of Time” (Book)
Jennifer Clapp, “Toxic Exports: The Transfer of Hazardous Wastes from Rich to Poor Countries” (Book)
Classic Punk Albums by Ramones, Sex Pistols, and NOFX (Albums)
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