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In a much-anticipated debate, prominent aging researchers Aubrey de Grey and Peter Fedichev presented their competing, but also overlapping, theories.

When the non-profits Foresight Institute, Open Longevity, and Say Forever had the idea to hold debates on the best strategy to defeat aging, there was little question about whom they should invite first. Aubrey de Grey, head of LEV Foundation and one of the faces of the longevity field, and Peter Fedichev, CEO of Gero and a rising star in the same field, already had an impromptu debate last year in Zuzalu, the longevity/crypto/AI-themed pop-up city in Montenegro. I had the honor to witness that clash of titans, which kept a small but dedicated crowd on its toes for more than two hours.

The impromptu debate in Zuzalu. Photo: Arkadi Mazin.

“The Uncanny Valley” published by Masahiro Mori in 1970 explores how our affinity for robots changes as they become more human-like.

This paper has had a big impact on human-computer interaction and is especially relevant today’s #AI landscape.


Fermat’s Library is a platform for illuminating academic papers.

Those who rush to leverage AI’s power without adequate preparation face difficult blowback, scandals, and could provoke harsh regulatory measures. However, those who have a balanced, informed view on the risks and benefits of AI, and who, with care and knowledge, avoid either complacent optimism or defeatist pessimism, can harness AI’s potential, and tap into an incredible variety of services of an ever-improving quality.

These are some words from the introduction of the new book, “Taming the machine: ethically harness the power of AI”, whose author, Nell Watson, joins us in this episode.

Nell’s many roles include: Chair of IEEE’s Transparency Experts Focus Group, Executive Consultant on philosophical matters for Apple, and President of the European Responsible Artificial Intelligence Office. She also leads several organizations such as EthicsNet.org, which aims to teach machines prosocial behaviours, and CulturalPeace.org, which crafts Geneva Conventions-style rules for cultural conflict.

Selected follow-ups:

• Nell Watson’s website (https://www.nellwatson.com/)
• Taming the Machine (https://tamingthemachine.com/) — book website.
• BodiData (https://www.bodidata.com/) (corporation)
• Post Office Horizon scandal: Why hundreds were wrongly prosecuted (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-5…) — BBC News.
• Dutch scandal serves as a warning for Europe over risks of using algorithms (https://www.politico.eu/article/dutch…) — Politico.
• Robodebt: Illegal Australian welfare hunt drove people to despair (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-aust…) — BBC News.
• What is the infected blood scandal and will victims get compensation? (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-485…) — BBC News.
• MIRI 2024 Mission and Strategy Update (https://intelligence.org/2024/01/04/m…) — from the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI)
• British engineering giant Arup revealed as $25 million deepfake scam victim (https://edition.cnn.com/2024/05/16/te…) — CNN
• Zersetzung psychological warfare technique (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zersetzung) — Wikipedia.

Music: Spike Protein, by Koi Discovery, available under CC0 1.0 Public Domain Declaration.