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AGI: will it kill us or save us?

Artificial general intelligence (AGI) could be humanity’s greatest invention… or our biggest risk.

In this episode of TechFirst, I talk with Dr. Ben Goertzel, CEO and founder of SingularityNET, about the future of AGI, the possibility of superintelligence, and what happens when machines think beyond human programming.

We cover:
• Is AGI inevitable? How soon will it arrive?
• Will AGI kill us … or save us?
• Why decentralization and blockchain could make AGI safer.
• How large language models (LLMs) fit into the path toward AGI
• The risks of an AGI arms race between the U.S. and China.
• Why Ben Goertzel created Meta, a new AGI programming language.

📌 Topics include AI safety, decentralized AI, blockchain for AI, LLMs, reasoning engines, superintelligence timelines, and the role of governments and corporations in shaping the future of AI.

⏱️ Chapters.

00:00 – Intro: Will AGI kill us or save us?

Continue reading “AGI: will it kill us or save us?” | >

Electrons can now be controlled to build smarter quantum devices

Auburn University scientists have developed a new class of materials that lets researchers precisely control free electrons, a breakthrough that could reshape the future of computing and chemical manufacturing.

Their study introduces a material system that allows fine-tuned control over how electrons behave within matter, potentially paving the way for faster computers, smarter machines, and more efficient industrial processes.

A Fibre Optic Breakthrough Reveals the Universe in Sharper Detail

Astronomers have discovered a clever way to make a single telescope capture sharper details than should be physically possible. The technique involves feeding starlight through a special optical fibre called a photonic lantern. Anyone else thinking of a certain glowing green lantern from a movie? Alas not, instead of special powers, it splits light according to its spatial patterns like separating a musical chords into individual notes. The researchers achieved resolution that has never been achieved before without linking multiple telescopes together. When they tested the technique on a star 162 light-years away, they not only proved it works but stumbled upon an unexpected discovery, that the star’s surrounding gas disc is mysteriously lopsided.

A quest to find probiotics with immune benefits

Kirin has now worked LC-Plasma into a range of non-beer products including yoghurt beverages, green tea and other drinks. In 2020, these became the first ‘functional’ food or beverages in Japan to be allowed to be marketed as containing potentially immune-boosting ingredients.

“A food or beverage that might help improve immune function had been highly sought after in Japan for almost 30 years. But none succeeded in spite of much effort and expense,” Fujiwara says. “We conducted lots of studies and finally succeeded in meeting government requirements in 2020.”

Researchers at Kirin and NIID/JIHS have also been exploring in laboratory and animal studies the effects of LC-Plasma against various infectious diseases, including influenza, dengue fever, SARS-CoV-2 and common colds.

ML Systems Textbook

Machine Learning Systems provides a systematic framework for understanding and engineering machine learning (ML) systems. This textbook bridges the gap between theoretical foundations and practical engineering, emphasizing the systems perspective required to build effective AI solutions. Unlike resources that focus primarily on algorithms and model architectures, this book highlights the broader context in which ML systems operate, including data engineering, model optimization, hardware-aware training, and inference acceleration. Readers will develop the ability to reason about ML system architectures and apply enduring engineering principles for building flexible, efficient, and robust machine learning systems.

Merck Videos

Strategic Investments To Improve Patients’ Lives — Joel Krikston — Managing Director Venture Investments, [#Merck](https://www.facebook.com/watch/hashtag/merck?__eep__=6%2F&__cft__[0]=AZWHa0kseUKzVNcB3y0qk8cwqKXrjPP9UHHhebflI6mZJnviQw17L_42P2gl-qGy_e2nvTkuEHEy3wU-ru0SkJ7BqaUNULXHPS8QJnyFad71Ur_o9bODPNd_7Qk9jcnY_ftbVN0gZHTGyveR05k3WGcA8J2Vm_cyhkoo0w0kkbPi0qgSkNThFHMOi_ERtUgFhJqdO4otO9uKSoxgc4Joq0xf&__tn__=*NK-R) Global Health Innovation Fund / Co-Founder, [#MSD](https://www.facebook.com/watch/hashtag/msd?__eep__=6%2F&__cft__[0]=AZWHa0kseUKzVNcB3y0qk8cwqKXrjPP9UHHhebflI6mZJnviQw17L_42P2gl-qGy_e2nvTkuEHEy3wU-ru0SkJ7BqaUNULXHPS8QJnyFad71Ur_o9bODPNd_7Qk9jcnY_ftbVN0gZHTGyveR05k3WGcA8J2Vm_cyhkoo0w0kkbPi0qgSkNThFHMOi_ERtUgFhJqdO4otO9uKSoxgc4Joq0xf&__tn__=*NK-R) Idea Studios, joins me on Progress, Potential, And Possibilities.

Merck | 22K people are posting about this.

Scientists Can Now “See” Aging Through Your Eyes

The small blood vessels in the eye could reveal important clues about a person’s risk of heart disease and the rate at which they are biologically aging, according to scientists from McMaster University and the Population Health Research Institute (PHRI) – a joint institute of Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster.

Published in the journal Science Advances, the research suggests that retinal scans may eventually become a simple, non-invasive way to assess the body’s vascular health and aging process. This approach could pave the way for earlier detection of health issues and more effective preventive care.

“By connecting retinal scans, genetics, and blood biomarkers, we have uncovered molecular pathways that help explain how aging affects the vascular system,” says Marie Pigeyre, senior author of the study and associate professor with McMaster’s Department of Medicine.

Hyundai joins US’ 11 gigawatt nuclear reactor project in Texas

Hyundai Engineering & Construction (Hyundai E&C) has taken a major step in expanding its global nuclear energy footprint.

On October 26, the company announced that it signed a basic design contract with Fermi America, a U.S.-based energy development firm, for the construction of four large nuclear reactors in Texas. The project will form part of what is expected to be the world’s largest integrated energy and artificial intelligence (AI) campus.

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