Originally aired on September 29, 2023

In this episode of the Edge of AI, host Richard Carthon interviews Walter De Brouwer, an AI expert and founder of several AI and deep tech companies. De Brouwer explains the concept behind the first-ever TED AI event, which will take place in San Francisco on October 17th and 18th. The event aims to bring together top speakers in the AI field to share their insights in a comprehensible manner. De Brouwer discusses the significance of language in AI and how it can be transformed into a non-biological entity through models like Transformers. He also touches on other fascinating AI projects at Stanford University and the potential of AI to revolutionize lives.

The First TED AI Event

• Scheduled for October 17th in San Francisco Opera, the event will focus on AI.
• Inspired by the tradition of TED events, it aims to bring top speakers and an engaged audience together.
• The event will cover various AI-related topics through concise talks by over 25 speakers.

The Power of Language in AI

• Language lies at the heart of AI and has undergone transformative changes in recent years.
• The English language has been instrumental in the development of AI, being the language of developers and AI itself.
• With models like Transformers, language can now be translated into electrical signals and interfaced with non-biological entities, such as computers.

Stanford University’s AI Projects

• Stanford is engaged in groundbreaking projects, such as the simulacra of human behavior, where software agents think they are alive.
• These projects explore the potential of AI in running simulations and analyzing complex dynamic systems.
• AI can be used to model and change aspects of our lives, leading to a future where humans can write Python code to modify their experiences.

00:00 – Introduction: Who is Walter De Brouwer

01:28 – What’s TED AI: how did it come to be?

04:00 – What is the heart of AI?

07:12 – What can we expect at TED AI?

11:00 – Richard’s lessons on AI: Get excited!