Futurism & Geopolitical Round-up (March 2024).
Peering into what’s happening around the world through the lens of Futurism & Geopolitical analysis. Remember, the best way to get the future you want is to… create it! Here’s your March 2024 round-up.
Futurist and geopolitical analyst Peter Zeihan brings his geographer’s perspective on what we might expect in the world over the next twenty years bearing in mind the collapsing populations of many countries. He writes books on these subjects, too. We’ve read them!
Can Machines Exhibit Sentience? How will we be able to tell? Does it really make a difference if they were?
Why we might well be facing a dead, humanless dark forest internet in the near future, thanks to A.I. Yikes.
The relationship between the global banking system and a potential world of mass abundance for the average person if banking is reformed comes under the spotlight in this podcast.
New telescopes are changing humanity’s ability to search for intelligent life among the stars.
Yann LeCun, Meta’s Chief AI Scientist, and NYU professor, shares insights with Lex Fridman, diving into the complexities and potential of artificial intelligence. As a Turing Award laureate, LeCun’s perspectives on AI are profound and multifaceted, covering a broad spectrum of topics. Their conversation kicks off with a critical look at the limitations of Large Language Models, segueing into an intriguing discussion on bilingualism’s influence on thought processes. They then explore the innovative realm of video prediction, setting the stage for an in-depth analysis of the Joint-Embedding Predictive Architecture and its implications in the AI field.
The debate heats up as they compare JEPA with traditional LLMs, eventually branching out to related concepts like DINO and I-JEPA, and even touching on V-JEPA’s unique attributes. As they delve into hierarchical planning and autoregressive LLMs, the dialogue evolves, revealing deeper layers of AI’s capabilities and limitations. Fridman and LeCun don’t shy away from contentious topics, examining AI’s tendency for hallucination, its reasoning abilities, and the application of reinforcement learning. They also touch on the cultural impact of AI, discussing “Woke AI,” open source initiatives, AI’s intersection with ideology, and notable figures like Marc Andreesen. As the interview progresses, they scrutinize advanced topics like Llama 3 and the elusive goal of achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), providing a balanced view on AI optimists and doomers. Special mentions of Joscha Bach and the future of humanoid robots offer a glimpse into the possibilities that lie ahead.
Simon Hunt brings you warnings of pending doom on the economic front with high inflation, and a BRICS takeover from the USA-polity. When did the real world start sounding like a scifi movie?
Hold onto your hard hats and solar panels, folks, because we’re diving headfirst into a whirlpool of watts, wars, and worldwide whispers with none other than Doomberg, the sage of the energy sphere! This isn’t your average chinwag; it’s a full-throttle expedition through the tangled vines of the global energy jungle and the murky waters of geopolitical intrigue. First up, we’re jet-setting to the frontlines of the natural gas saga, where Doomberg breaks down why this fossil fuel is the toast of the U.S. economy and how it’s stirring up the pot on the global stage. It’s a gas, gas, gas. Then, strap on your helmets as we parachute into the heart of the Ukraine conflict, exploring the fall of Avdiivka and what it means for your next gas bill. Spoiler alert: It’s more entangled than your earphones in your pocket. Drones are up next, buzzing into the conversation like uninvited party guests. These high-flying gadgets are reshaping warfare as we know it, proving that the future is here and it’s armed to the teeth.
Sanctions on Russia? Check. We’re dissecting this economic scalpel to see if it’s cutting deep or just scratching the surface, all while pondering whether the world stage is nothing more than a giant chessboard for power-hungry players. As if that weren’t enough, we’re also peeking into the crystal ball to ponder the fate of nuclear energy, especially now that Amazon is throwing its colossal hat into the radioactive ring. Could this be the dawn of a glowing new era? And for the grand finale, let’s talk cold, hard cash – or should we say gold? With the U.S. dollar flexing its muscles, Doomberg weighs in on whether it’s time to start hoarding those shiny bars or if cryptocurrencies might steal the show. So, whether you’re a policy wonk, an energy enthusiast, or just someone who enjoys a hearty dose of intellectual sparring, this episode with Doomberg is your golden ticket to understanding the high-stakes game of global dynamics. Tune in, turn up, and get ready for a ride that’s as enlightening as it is electrifying.
