Artificial Intelligence

Will AI ever be able to transcend the “knowledge closure boundary” — the conceptual barrier between what’s known (or what can be inferred from what’s known and understood) and what is not — and make truly novel and transformative discoveries?

This morning the White House unveiled its new AI Action Plan for the US. There’s a lot here to digest, but I did want to provide my first take on the plan – and what it might mean moving forward.

XENOPS: An AI prompt that assesses an AI model’s “moral character.

Motive, means, and opportunity: It’s a common mantra in solving crimes. But it’s also a useful framework for approaching the potential risks of being manipulated by advanced AI systems.

An AI “vibe coded” website that explores technology-driven “moral panics” over the ages

Friction Required: How will a world transformed by emerging technologies like AI reshape the world? Sean, Andrew and special guest Punya Mishra cut through the hype to reveal the creative tension, hidden risks, and big-picture futures for AI-powered, human-centered education. How can the power of AI be harnessed without losing the soul of learning?

As AI agents become more prevalent and powerful, a new paper outlines a framework for better-understanding how to govern and regulate them. From the Future of Being Human Substack.

Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard examine Apple TV+’s hit series Severance, using its mind-bending premise of surgically split consciousness to explore real-world questions around emerging science and technology, identity, and ethical responsibility. From the Modem Futura podcast.

The Legacy of Early 21st-Century Academia: A Foresight Report from 2100

In this deep dive of Modem Futura, Sean Leahy and Andrew Maynard tackle the sensational claims surrounding the “de-extinction” of the dire wolf by Colossal Biosciences. From the Modem Futura podcast.