What Makes Us Unique in the Age of AI

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Embracing AI: A Hopeful Perspective with Neil Lawrence

We've often heard the mantra, "use Chat GPT on the job, adapt to this new world of AI," which subtly implies that we need to keep up or risk being left behind. But Neil Lawrence, DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge and author of "The Atomic Human: What Makes Us Unique in the Age of AI," offers a refreshing and optimistic perspective.

Neil isn't an alarmist urging us to just get with the program. Instead, he steps back from the commotion that has come from recent technological breakthroughs to highlight what sets us apart as humans and to place a hopeful bet on humanity. Today, Neil makes the case for being an AI optimist.

Neil contends that as advanced as AI gets at imitating us, it will never truly be us. He acknowledges the problems AI is already causing and anticipates a bumpy ride ahead. Yet, at his core, Neil believes in the enduring strength of humanity. He takes a broad view of our evolution as a species.

What does this mean for us? He sees the opportunities AI presents and urges us to slow down and respond thoughtfully to these opportunities rather than react hastily to disruptions.

You can catch the episode here, or below:

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Hello Monday is LinkedIn News’ weekly podcast about the changing nature of work—and how we must change to keep up. It's hosted by me, Jessi Hempel. Subscribe to the show's newsletter.

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