Vicar Sayeedi's Blog
September 6, 2023
What Happened to China? | Lessons from an Authoritarian State
What Happened to China? | Lessons from an Authoritarian State
September 6, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
A substantial body of evidence has been accumulating over the past 78 years [post WW2] which indicates that the combination of an intolerant culture in society and some variant of an authoritarian regime in government will severely limit a nation’s ability to achieve an advanced, peaceful, prosperous and secure environment for their citizens, as found amongst the world’s leading liberal democracies.
But the rise of China has, until recently, left many thought leaders perplexed – the achievements in East Asia seemed to contradict that enormous body of evidence quite directly and has consequently led to a “democratic recession” around the world. Many nations, heartened by China’s success, abandoned the hard work of establishing liberal democracy in favor of electoral autocracy, illiberal democracy, monarchy, theocracy or other forms of authoritarianism.
But as the analysis of Chinese history during the post-Maoist era [Deng Xiaoping economic and political reforms initiated in 1978] becomes clearer, it seems that the post-war evidence of the superiority of liberal democracy vis a vis authoritarianism has in the end been proven reliable and valid. The Chinese model of successful authoritarian/totalitarian governance with markets masquerading as free and open was both temporary and illusory and is now quite likely over.
Numerous nations around the world abandoned the hard work required to establish the requisite institutions and cultural changes to nurture a liberal democracy. Unfortunately, in retrospect they have wasted their energy, time and other limited or scarce resources in the hope that there was another path to the success of Western nations – a path which did not require replicating liberal democratic principles in governance and the requisite cultural change vis a vis tolerant societies. Sadly, and at irrecoverable expense they have been proven wrong.
What happened to China?
The Chinese people were very supportive of the Chinese Communist Party and the current regime until quite recently. But the average savings rate amongst Chinese citizens now exceeds 30% – in the US it’s ~7% – and such a high savings rate is a strong indicator of disillusionment amongst the citizenry and a palpable angst about their future. If the Chinese were confident, no doubt they would invest their money in property or securities rather than park it in savings accounts.
Consumer spending is also falling, prices for a broad array of consumer goods are being marked down and imports of consumer products are declining. Collectively, this is threatening a deflationary spiral.
Today, over 20% of university graduates are unemployed – the Chinese economy simply cannot provide jobs for them. In fact, over half the employees in cigarette manufacturing plants are university graduates – unfortunately they have no better prospects. The Chinese government has stopped reporting this important statistic and other key statistics – the resulting opacity in data is further spooking domestic and international investors and foreign direct investment.
Evergrand and Country Garden – the two largest property developers – have a combined debt of $500B and no longer have the operating cash flows to service this debt. If possible, the Chinese State needs to keep them afloat because businesses this large have tentacles reaching far and wide throughout the economy – consumers who have placed down payments for unbuilt or unfinished housing and supply chains in the building trade – so the impact from bankruptcy will be broadly devastating.
Since ~2016, the Chinese have been behaving very badly on the world stage [Wolf Warrior Diplomacy] and this has done immense damage to their international reputation. They are now viewed unfavorably across the Developed World and consequently exports are declining as Western industrialists seek friendlier business partners and manufacturing centers.
The Chinese are engaging in serious diplomatic and political exchanges in Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam and throughout the South China Sea [Nine Dashed Line]. Their aggressive and threatening military posture towards Taiwan, their violation of treaties vis a vis Hong Kong, and their abominable treatment and human rights violations of the Uighur people in Xinjiang has further ruined their reputation.
The Chinese are no longer viewed as a trusted partner, so the West is now unwilling to share sensitive state-of-the-art technology which has potential military applications – this has further harmed China’s critical technology industries. China invested heavily in infrastructure development during the past 45 years – airports, bridges, manufacturing facilities, rail lines, roads, shipping infrastructure, etc. The US and Western Europe have similar infrastructure, but it was developed over a 150 year period. By developing its infrastructure so rapidly, China has recorded dramatic economic growth rates during the past 45 years, but the infrastructure is now largely complete so the contribution to GDP growth will be much, much less.
The other major contribution to China’s GDP growth during this period was manufacturing but this is also under considerable pressure - customers were financially harmed during the pandemic due to their dependency on China as an exclusive supplier. They won’t make this mistake again as it was a very expensive one.
Finally, China has been pushing its female citizens to work in manufacturing these past 45 years. This has had irreversible consequences. The One Child Policy [and its precursor, “Later, Longer, Fewer”] has resulted in a dramatic and irreversible decline in the cohort of women of childbearing age. Today, the consensus view amongst demographers is that China’s current population of 1.4B will age and decline to between 650M-750M by the turn of the century.
In conclusion, the lessons are difficult but nevertheless they must be learned by all – when authoritarian regimes get it right, they can move very fast and unopposed in the right direction. But when they get it wrong, the lack of checks on their power virtually guarantees that the nation will face critical or even existential harm.
China is an excellent case study confirming that authoritarianism has a series of congenital defects and missing attributes that once addressed put a nation on the road to liberal democracy. On the evolutionary timeline authoritarianism is therefore the ancient, inferior ancestor of liberal democracy.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
September 6, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
A substantial body of evidence has been accumulating over the past 78 years [post WW2] which indicates that the combination of an intolerant culture in society and some variant of an authoritarian regime in government will severely limit a nation’s ability to achieve an advanced, peaceful, prosperous and secure environment for their citizens, as found amongst the world’s leading liberal democracies.
But the rise of China has, until recently, left many thought leaders perplexed – the achievements in East Asia seemed to contradict that enormous body of evidence quite directly and has consequently led to a “democratic recession” around the world. Many nations, heartened by China’s success, abandoned the hard work of establishing liberal democracy in favor of electoral autocracy, illiberal democracy, monarchy, theocracy or other forms of authoritarianism.
But as the analysis of Chinese history during the post-Maoist era [Deng Xiaoping economic and political reforms initiated in 1978] becomes clearer, it seems that the post-war evidence of the superiority of liberal democracy vis a vis authoritarianism has in the end been proven reliable and valid. The Chinese model of successful authoritarian/totalitarian governance with markets masquerading as free and open was both temporary and illusory and is now quite likely over.
Numerous nations around the world abandoned the hard work required to establish the requisite institutions and cultural changes to nurture a liberal democracy. Unfortunately, in retrospect they have wasted their energy, time and other limited or scarce resources in the hope that there was another path to the success of Western nations – a path which did not require replicating liberal democratic principles in governance and the requisite cultural change vis a vis tolerant societies. Sadly, and at irrecoverable expense they have been proven wrong.
What happened to China?
The Chinese people were very supportive of the Chinese Communist Party and the current regime until quite recently. But the average savings rate amongst Chinese citizens now exceeds 30% – in the US it’s ~7% – and such a high savings rate is a strong indicator of disillusionment amongst the citizenry and a palpable angst about their future. If the Chinese were confident, no doubt they would invest their money in property or securities rather than park it in savings accounts.
Consumer spending is also falling, prices for a broad array of consumer goods are being marked down and imports of consumer products are declining. Collectively, this is threatening a deflationary spiral.
Today, over 20% of university graduates are unemployed – the Chinese economy simply cannot provide jobs for them. In fact, over half the employees in cigarette manufacturing plants are university graduates – unfortunately they have no better prospects. The Chinese government has stopped reporting this important statistic and other key statistics – the resulting opacity in data is further spooking domestic and international investors and foreign direct investment.
Evergrand and Country Garden – the two largest property developers – have a combined debt of $500B and no longer have the operating cash flows to service this debt. If possible, the Chinese State needs to keep them afloat because businesses this large have tentacles reaching far and wide throughout the economy – consumers who have placed down payments for unbuilt or unfinished housing and supply chains in the building trade – so the impact from bankruptcy will be broadly devastating.
Since ~2016, the Chinese have been behaving very badly on the world stage [Wolf Warrior Diplomacy] and this has done immense damage to their international reputation. They are now viewed unfavorably across the Developed World and consequently exports are declining as Western industrialists seek friendlier business partners and manufacturing centers.
The Chinese are engaging in serious diplomatic and political exchanges in Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Philippines, Vietnam and throughout the South China Sea [Nine Dashed Line]. Their aggressive and threatening military posture towards Taiwan, their violation of treaties vis a vis Hong Kong, and their abominable treatment and human rights violations of the Uighur people in Xinjiang has further ruined their reputation.
The Chinese are no longer viewed as a trusted partner, so the West is now unwilling to share sensitive state-of-the-art technology which has potential military applications – this has further harmed China’s critical technology industries. China invested heavily in infrastructure development during the past 45 years – airports, bridges, manufacturing facilities, rail lines, roads, shipping infrastructure, etc. The US and Western Europe have similar infrastructure, but it was developed over a 150 year period. By developing its infrastructure so rapidly, China has recorded dramatic economic growth rates during the past 45 years, but the infrastructure is now largely complete so the contribution to GDP growth will be much, much less.
The other major contribution to China’s GDP growth during this period was manufacturing but this is also under considerable pressure - customers were financially harmed during the pandemic due to their dependency on China as an exclusive supplier. They won’t make this mistake again as it was a very expensive one.
Finally, China has been pushing its female citizens to work in manufacturing these past 45 years. This has had irreversible consequences. The One Child Policy [and its precursor, “Later, Longer, Fewer”] has resulted in a dramatic and irreversible decline in the cohort of women of childbearing age. Today, the consensus view amongst demographers is that China’s current population of 1.4B will age and decline to between 650M-750M by the turn of the century.
In conclusion, the lessons are difficult but nevertheless they must be learned by all – when authoritarian regimes get it right, they can move very fast and unopposed in the right direction. But when they get it wrong, the lack of checks on their power virtually guarantees that the nation will face critical or even existential harm.
China is an excellent case study confirming that authoritarianism has a series of congenital defects and missing attributes that once addressed put a nation on the road to liberal democracy. On the evolutionary timeline authoritarianism is therefore the ancient, inferior ancestor of liberal democracy.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
August 15, 2023
What Do We Know & How Do We Know It? | Epistemology in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
What Do We Know & How Do We Know It? | Epistemology in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
August 15, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Donald “Rummy” Rumsfeld, George Bush’s Secretary of Defense during his first term as President, was not a popular man. Amongst the ardent cohort of neocons who surreptitiously seized power in the Bush Administration, history does not remember Rumsfeld with any measure of fondness. But something Rummy once said remains with us as an important and thought-provoking insight. To paraphrase Rummy, “There are things that you know that you know and there are things that you know that you don’t know. But then there are those things that you don’t know that you don’t know. These are the most dangerous.”
Rumsfeld’s insight is important for each of us to reflect upon because if we don’t engage in Deep Learning [reading books, listening to lectures, writing books and papers or other thought intensive activities [visiting bookshops, exhibitions, galleries, libraries, museums or watching documentary films] it’s highly likely that our views have largely been shaped through interactions within our peer groups over a long period of time. Since we aren’t engaging in Deep Learning it’s also very likely that most members of our peer groups aren’t engaged in Deep Learning either – this is because we tend to surround ourselves with those having a similar lifestyle and worldview as our own [with the non-compliant ones finding themselves marginalized and shunned].
Unfortunately, the narratives and views we hold which have been shaped through interaction with our peers tend to have a poor epistemic basis – they will likely be characterized by an unacceptably low level of historiography and veracity. Consequently, we then find ourselves to be victims of the Dunning-Kruger Effect – we have a high level of confidence in our views which are themselves based upon superficial knowledge and, at best, a cursory understanding.
If we engage in the Deep Learning activities as described above, the outcome is intensive thinking which results in cognitive flexibility [much like exercising in a gym normally results in pliable muscles] – we are readily able to hold and consider ideas that aren’t our own and then we can think about those ideas critically and rationally. Without the conditioning of our cognitive faculties from these thought-intensive activities, our minds are instead likely to display cognitive rigidity. Once cognitive rigidity settles in, alien or new ideas which even marginally contradict our settled narrative and views can trigger distress – we become emotionally and physically agitated and largely unable to process the new concepts. We are unable to reflect on the epistemic value or the historiography and veracity of our narrative.
If we are able to realize what is happening to us and we wish to correct ourselves, we will need to examine the narrative in our minds as well as any new ideas we are presented with – we need to evaluate whether our ideas and thoughts are supported by data, evidence, facts, logic, reason and science. Are these narratives and views evidence-based, objective truths which can stand up to critical thinking? This is a question that needs to be asked of all our current narratives and views as well as any new views before they are incorporated within our narrative.
If we are not willing to do this as individuals or as a society, there are serious consequences which can be existential in nature. To once again reference Rummy’s parlance, we may end up with those second two cohorts of knowledge [the things that we know that we don’t know and the things that we don’t know that we don’t know] being very large in us, our society or nation relative to other societies and nations. In fact, this was precisely the epistemological imbalance which preceded the era of European Colonization of Asia and Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.
A series of critical European historical periods beginning in the middle of the 14th century, most notably the Black Death, the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution & Age of Discovery, the Protestant Reformation and subsequent wars of religion, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution together led to a monumental growth in European knowledge in numerous disciplines and consequently an unprecedented epistemological imbalance between East & West. European colonizers then exploited this imbalance to brutally subjugate the people of Africa and Asia for centuries.
Today, the leaders of nations and societies across Africa and Asia again find themselves in a difficult position – they did not learn the lessons of Colonialism and so, once again, the epistemological gap between the West and the Developing World has grown into an unbreachable chasm. With the rise of the 4th Industrial Revolution [Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Computing – Quantum & Super, Data Science, Evolutionary Biology and Psychology and the ability to override nature’s evolutionary pathway with Intelligent Design facilitated by gene/germline editing vis a vis CRISPR-Cas9] the knowledge of the West once again reduces the Developing World to an extremely vulnerable position. If nefarious actors in the West attain positions of power within government or finds ways to exploit and influence those in power such that they can command their economic, financial, military and political resources, the consequences for the Developing World will be far more dangerous than anything ever seen during the Age of Colonialism.
Unfortunately, the neglect of knowledge – and the institutional ecosystem necessary to effectively propagate knowledge – amongst the individuals, nations and societies of the Developing World is a sobering sign of what likely lies ahead.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
August 15, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Donald “Rummy” Rumsfeld, George Bush’s Secretary of Defense during his first term as President, was not a popular man. Amongst the ardent cohort of neocons who surreptitiously seized power in the Bush Administration, history does not remember Rumsfeld with any measure of fondness. But something Rummy once said remains with us as an important and thought-provoking insight. To paraphrase Rummy, “There are things that you know that you know and there are things that you know that you don’t know. But then there are those things that you don’t know that you don’t know. These are the most dangerous.”
Rumsfeld’s insight is important for each of us to reflect upon because if we don’t engage in Deep Learning [reading books, listening to lectures, writing books and papers or other thought intensive activities [visiting bookshops, exhibitions, galleries, libraries, museums or watching documentary films] it’s highly likely that our views have largely been shaped through interactions within our peer groups over a long period of time. Since we aren’t engaging in Deep Learning it’s also very likely that most members of our peer groups aren’t engaged in Deep Learning either – this is because we tend to surround ourselves with those having a similar lifestyle and worldview as our own [with the non-compliant ones finding themselves marginalized and shunned].
Unfortunately, the narratives and views we hold which have been shaped through interaction with our peers tend to have a poor epistemic basis – they will likely be characterized by an unacceptably low level of historiography and veracity. Consequently, we then find ourselves to be victims of the Dunning-Kruger Effect – we have a high level of confidence in our views which are themselves based upon superficial knowledge and, at best, a cursory understanding.
If we engage in the Deep Learning activities as described above, the outcome is intensive thinking which results in cognitive flexibility [much like exercising in a gym normally results in pliable muscles] – we are readily able to hold and consider ideas that aren’t our own and then we can think about those ideas critically and rationally. Without the conditioning of our cognitive faculties from these thought-intensive activities, our minds are instead likely to display cognitive rigidity. Once cognitive rigidity settles in, alien or new ideas which even marginally contradict our settled narrative and views can trigger distress – we become emotionally and physically agitated and largely unable to process the new concepts. We are unable to reflect on the epistemic value or the historiography and veracity of our narrative.
If we are able to realize what is happening to us and we wish to correct ourselves, we will need to examine the narrative in our minds as well as any new ideas we are presented with – we need to evaluate whether our ideas and thoughts are supported by data, evidence, facts, logic, reason and science. Are these narratives and views evidence-based, objective truths which can stand up to critical thinking? This is a question that needs to be asked of all our current narratives and views as well as any new views before they are incorporated within our narrative.
If we are not willing to do this as individuals or as a society, there are serious consequences which can be existential in nature. To once again reference Rummy’s parlance, we may end up with those second two cohorts of knowledge [the things that we know that we don’t know and the things that we don’t know that we don’t know] being very large in us, our society or nation relative to other societies and nations. In fact, this was precisely the epistemological imbalance which preceded the era of European Colonization of Asia and Africa in the 18th and 19th centuries.
A series of critical European historical periods beginning in the middle of the 14th century, most notably the Black Death, the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution & Age of Discovery, the Protestant Reformation and subsequent wars of religion, the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution together led to a monumental growth in European knowledge in numerous disciplines and consequently an unprecedented epistemological imbalance between East & West. European colonizers then exploited this imbalance to brutally subjugate the people of Africa and Asia for centuries.
Today, the leaders of nations and societies across Africa and Asia again find themselves in a difficult position – they did not learn the lessons of Colonialism and so, once again, the epistemological gap between the West and the Developing World has grown into an unbreachable chasm. With the rise of the 4th Industrial Revolution [Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Computing – Quantum & Super, Data Science, Evolutionary Biology and Psychology and the ability to override nature’s evolutionary pathway with Intelligent Design facilitated by gene/germline editing vis a vis CRISPR-Cas9] the knowledge of the West once again reduces the Developing World to an extremely vulnerable position. If nefarious actors in the West attain positions of power within government or finds ways to exploit and influence those in power such that they can command their economic, financial, military and political resources, the consequences for the Developing World will be far more dangerous than anything ever seen during the Age of Colonialism.
Unfortunately, the neglect of knowledge – and the institutional ecosystem necessary to effectively propagate knowledge – amongst the individuals, nations and societies of the Developing World is a sobering sign of what likely lies ahead.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
August 9, 2023
This was to be the Chinese Century | What Happened?
This was to be the Chinese Century | What Happened?
August 9, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
With the death in 1976 of the founder of the Chinese Communist Party, Chairman Mao Zedong, The People’s Republic of China was finally able to turn a new page. The People’s Republic emerged following the defeat of General Chiang Kai-shek by Chairman Mao and his forces in the civil war which ended in 1949. Chiang Kai-shek and his fellow nationalists retreated to Taiwan whilst the communists and Mao seized the Chinese mainland.
Chairman Mao’s era was marked by several catastrophic episodes, most notably The Great Leap Forward [1958-1961] and The Cultural Revolution [1966-1976]. Each of these gruesome periods resulted in the loss of life for tens of millions of Chinese peasants, perhaps as many as 80 million in total. But beginning in 1978, under the reformist leadership of Deng Xiaoping, China finally began to find its way as it gradually opened and engaged with the West.
Despite the very high likelihood that China’s best and brightest minds would never return home if sent to the West for higher education – Deng Xiaoping was warned that 90% could not be expected to return – he sent them anyway. Deng believed that if even 10% of these highly trained bureaucrats, business leaders, engineers, scientists and technocrats returned, China would still benefit from having sent the students. Deng’s reformist mindset and gradual liberalization of economic policy and markets took hold in the Party and social culture and were carried forward by subsequent Party leaders, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao.
During this ~35-year period, China’s global, mass-manufacturing-centric economy grew in unprecedented fashion. In 1991 – following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union – China accounted for ~1% of global GDP, but by the time Xi Jinping took office in late 2012, China accounted for ~15% of global GDP. It was a remarkable transition that led many to believe that China would take over as the world’s leading economy by 2030 – they felt confident this era of history would be remembered by historians as the Chinese Century.
But as is often the case with such euphoric projections, things have not gone quite as expected. Today, the unemployment rate amongst university-trained workers exceeds 20%. The Chinese banking sector is heavily indebted, municipal governments across China are confronting bankruptcy and the national real estate sector is in terrible condition. Following State intervention in the economy and markets, Chinese society has sharply curtailed investing or spending and has instead dramatically increased its rate of savings. State intervention has led to widespread distrust in the economy and markets by ordinary Chinese citizens and unfortunately once trust in government has been violated it is exceedingly difficult to restore.
Meanwhile China’s demographics are also flashing red warning signs – Sino population is simultaneously aging and contracting. The expectation is that the population will decline from its current level of ~1.4B to less than ~700M by the turn of the next century. Both exports and imports have declined precipitously, GDP growth has slowed dramatically and meanwhile China’s international reputation has been badly damaged by an overwhelming level of negative publicity emanating from its highly aggressive “Wolf Warrior” diplomacy. Consequently, the tourists have stopped coming. Commercially, multinationals have begun to look for alternative sites for low-cost, offshore production whilst also searching for re-shoring sites to protect their businesses from a repeat of the Chinese supply chain disruptions experienced in recent years.
Xi Jinping’s efforts to consolidate political power and his change to Communist Party rules – thus allowing him to remain in power for life rather than for the long-established rule of two five-year terms – has raised alarms across Asian and Western capitals alike. Xi’s introduction of Artificial Intelligence-enabled digital, mass surveillance of all Chinese citizens, his regime’s foreign policy which has led to the significant damaging of relations with neighbors and critical economic partners [including America, Australia, the European Union, India, Japan, the Philippines and many others in East Asia] vis a vis China’s “Nine-Dash-Line” territorial claims in the South China Sea, and finally his extraordinary support for Russia in its brutal war on Ukraine has not served China’s objectives or reputation well.
In summary, we are, once again witnessing the weaknesses of Authoritarian regimes. The congenital defects in these systems – most notably, the inability to check power or to prevent the consolidation of power in the hands of a few men – has led to a series of bad decisions that are having a critical and even existential impact on China’s future. The One Child Policy and its precursor policy [Later, Longer, Fewer] – introduced to provide the maximum number of workers in the manufacturing sector which was so central to the Party’s economic policy – has now created a cultural phenomenon in which Chinese couples simply do not want to have more than one child. They feel it’s just too expensive and they’re no longer used to large families.
Will China be able to reverse the damage of the Xi Jinping era or is it simply too late? The jury is still out but consensus amongst political scientists and thought leaders is that it will be extraordinarily difficult to “right the ship”, particularly with a hardline autocrat firmly seated at the helm of the Party alongside a small group of loyalists. The Chinese people are now trapped in a self-destructive neo-Maoist era of the Party’s own making.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
August 9, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
With the death in 1976 of the founder of the Chinese Communist Party, Chairman Mao Zedong, The People’s Republic of China was finally able to turn a new page. The People’s Republic emerged following the defeat of General Chiang Kai-shek by Chairman Mao and his forces in the civil war which ended in 1949. Chiang Kai-shek and his fellow nationalists retreated to Taiwan whilst the communists and Mao seized the Chinese mainland.
Chairman Mao’s era was marked by several catastrophic episodes, most notably The Great Leap Forward [1958-1961] and The Cultural Revolution [1966-1976]. Each of these gruesome periods resulted in the loss of life for tens of millions of Chinese peasants, perhaps as many as 80 million in total. But beginning in 1978, under the reformist leadership of Deng Xiaoping, China finally began to find its way as it gradually opened and engaged with the West.
Despite the very high likelihood that China’s best and brightest minds would never return home if sent to the West for higher education – Deng Xiaoping was warned that 90% could not be expected to return – he sent them anyway. Deng believed that if even 10% of these highly trained bureaucrats, business leaders, engineers, scientists and technocrats returned, China would still benefit from having sent the students. Deng’s reformist mindset and gradual liberalization of economic policy and markets took hold in the Party and social culture and were carried forward by subsequent Party leaders, Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao.
During this ~35-year period, China’s global, mass-manufacturing-centric economy grew in unprecedented fashion. In 1991 – following the end of the Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union – China accounted for ~1% of global GDP, but by the time Xi Jinping took office in late 2012, China accounted for ~15% of global GDP. It was a remarkable transition that led many to believe that China would take over as the world’s leading economy by 2030 – they felt confident this era of history would be remembered by historians as the Chinese Century.
But as is often the case with such euphoric projections, things have not gone quite as expected. Today, the unemployment rate amongst university-trained workers exceeds 20%. The Chinese banking sector is heavily indebted, municipal governments across China are confronting bankruptcy and the national real estate sector is in terrible condition. Following State intervention in the economy and markets, Chinese society has sharply curtailed investing or spending and has instead dramatically increased its rate of savings. State intervention has led to widespread distrust in the economy and markets by ordinary Chinese citizens and unfortunately once trust in government has been violated it is exceedingly difficult to restore.
Meanwhile China’s demographics are also flashing red warning signs – Sino population is simultaneously aging and contracting. The expectation is that the population will decline from its current level of ~1.4B to less than ~700M by the turn of the next century. Both exports and imports have declined precipitously, GDP growth has slowed dramatically and meanwhile China’s international reputation has been badly damaged by an overwhelming level of negative publicity emanating from its highly aggressive “Wolf Warrior” diplomacy. Consequently, the tourists have stopped coming. Commercially, multinationals have begun to look for alternative sites for low-cost, offshore production whilst also searching for re-shoring sites to protect their businesses from a repeat of the Chinese supply chain disruptions experienced in recent years.
Xi Jinping’s efforts to consolidate political power and his change to Communist Party rules – thus allowing him to remain in power for life rather than for the long-established rule of two five-year terms – has raised alarms across Asian and Western capitals alike. Xi’s introduction of Artificial Intelligence-enabled digital, mass surveillance of all Chinese citizens, his regime’s foreign policy which has led to the significant damaging of relations with neighbors and critical economic partners [including America, Australia, the European Union, India, Japan, the Philippines and many others in East Asia] vis a vis China’s “Nine-Dash-Line” territorial claims in the South China Sea, and finally his extraordinary support for Russia in its brutal war on Ukraine has not served China’s objectives or reputation well.
In summary, we are, once again witnessing the weaknesses of Authoritarian regimes. The congenital defects in these systems – most notably, the inability to check power or to prevent the consolidation of power in the hands of a few men – has led to a series of bad decisions that are having a critical and even existential impact on China’s future. The One Child Policy and its precursor policy [Later, Longer, Fewer] – introduced to provide the maximum number of workers in the manufacturing sector which was so central to the Party’s economic policy – has now created a cultural phenomenon in which Chinese couples simply do not want to have more than one child. They feel it’s just too expensive and they’re no longer used to large families.
Will China be able to reverse the damage of the Xi Jinping era or is it simply too late? The jury is still out but consensus amongst political scientists and thought leaders is that it will be extraordinarily difficult to “right the ship”, particularly with a hardline autocrat firmly seated at the helm of the Party alongside a small group of loyalists. The Chinese people are now trapped in a self-destructive neo-Maoist era of the Party’s own making.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
July 27, 2023
The Manhattan Project | Solemn Lessons for the Revival of Islamic Civilization
The Manhattan Project | Solemn Lessons for the Revival of Islamic Civilization
July 27, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Christopher Nolan’s new biopic, “Oppenheimer” is based upon the 2005 biography, “American Prometheus”. It’s an extraordinary film, not simply because of the exceptional cinematic prowess and quality of Nolan’s storytelling, but also because of the opportunity the film offers up to thoughtful minds accustomed to pause and reflection. Oppenheimer’s story – or more generally the story of the Manhattan Project – provides a template for any nation facing daunting challenges and how they might address them. The Manhattan Project helps us understand that although incredibly difficult, solutions to extraordinary challenges do exist.
As an important example, the opening of the film this July finds the Muslim World at a seminal moment following fourteen centuries of Islamic history. Many in the broader society are deeply anxious and concerned about the extremely progressive expansion of liberalism vis a vis the debates in the West surrounding gender and sexuality. Although the Muslim World will require a series of Manhattan Projects if it is to fully achieve an internally desired revival whilst also fulfilling the potential of this large and diverse civilization, at this point, it will be best served by maintaining a singular focus. The attention must firmly be on the deeply held desire across the Muslim world to establish a credible, functional and modern political system which also encapsulates the objectives identified in its theological derivations. For far too long, the models of governance Muslims have lived with in the 57 Islamic Nations making up the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have had poor outcomes for most of their citizens and so the opportunity to address the issue of governance is now. The Muslim World must seize the moment.
[Vicar Sayeedi’s 2017 book, The Shariah Parliament is centered around just such a Manhattan Project.]
To make this new Manhattan Project a reality, Muslim society will need a very serious commitment – the engagement of bright, well-intentioned weekend warriors to work on this existential and solemn initiative of Islamic governance is not a credible pathway. Rather, what’s needed are Thought Leaders – men and women with expertise in history, the Islamic sciences as well as political science and thought [history of the evolution and comparison of political systems]. Institutions which can produce such Intellectuals and Thought Leaders will also be required and they will need to undertake much work at the direction of the Thought Leadership team. Finally, commitment from across the Islamic World will culminate in the securing of funding for the duration of the new Manhattan Project.
It’s critical we understand that during the original Manhattan Project, although Dr. Oppenheimer was the director of the overall program, he had a wide variety of expertise and thought leadership engaged to support him. In fact, 1500 experts and scientists worked at the Los Alamos, New Mexico site between 1942-1945 during which they generated an aggregate expenditure of $2B [~$34B in 2023].
Of course, there are some very serious challenges that Muslim intelligentsia must address and overcome if it is to seriously contemplate such a Manhattan Project. Realistically, Thought leadership in the Muslim world is very sparse, both in depth and breadth, and across most disciplines. Most citizens in Muslim Society serve in the capacity of mercantilists or they work across the income spectrum in the proletariat. But in the capacity of Intellectuals the Muslim bench is exceedingly sparse. And the Thought Leader cohort within the pool of Intellectuals is sparser still. Within Islamic civilization today, the quality of institutions which can produce Intellectuals and Thought Leaders simply does not exist and so these deficiencies must be augmented by those from outside the Muslim World. Thus, a new Manhattan Project will require help from Intellectuals and Thought Leaders willing to lend their experience and expertise in economics, finance, geopolitics, history, international relations, political science and thought.
Does the will to seize the moment for such an initiative exist in Muslim society today or is it content to continue endlessly berating liberal democracy without offering a credible, functional alternative? In the Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humankind. When Zeus learned of what Prometheus had done, he chained him to a large stone where he was destined to be beaten for eternity. If Muslim civilization chooses not to seize the moment, if it does not establish its own Manhattan Project to develop modern governance on its own terms, it may be destined to a fate not dissimilar to that of Prometheus.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
July 27, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Christopher Nolan’s new biopic, “Oppenheimer” is based upon the 2005 biography, “American Prometheus”. It’s an extraordinary film, not simply because of the exceptional cinematic prowess and quality of Nolan’s storytelling, but also because of the opportunity the film offers up to thoughtful minds accustomed to pause and reflection. Oppenheimer’s story – or more generally the story of the Manhattan Project – provides a template for any nation facing daunting challenges and how they might address them. The Manhattan Project helps us understand that although incredibly difficult, solutions to extraordinary challenges do exist.
As an important example, the opening of the film this July finds the Muslim World at a seminal moment following fourteen centuries of Islamic history. Many in the broader society are deeply anxious and concerned about the extremely progressive expansion of liberalism vis a vis the debates in the West surrounding gender and sexuality. Although the Muslim World will require a series of Manhattan Projects if it is to fully achieve an internally desired revival whilst also fulfilling the potential of this large and diverse civilization, at this point, it will be best served by maintaining a singular focus. The attention must firmly be on the deeply held desire across the Muslim world to establish a credible, functional and modern political system which also encapsulates the objectives identified in its theological derivations. For far too long, the models of governance Muslims have lived with in the 57 Islamic Nations making up the Organization of Islamic Cooperation have had poor outcomes for most of their citizens and so the opportunity to address the issue of governance is now. The Muslim World must seize the moment.
[Vicar Sayeedi’s 2017 book, The Shariah Parliament is centered around just such a Manhattan Project.]
To make this new Manhattan Project a reality, Muslim society will need a very serious commitment – the engagement of bright, well-intentioned weekend warriors to work on this existential and solemn initiative of Islamic governance is not a credible pathway. Rather, what’s needed are Thought Leaders – men and women with expertise in history, the Islamic sciences as well as political science and thought [history of the evolution and comparison of political systems]. Institutions which can produce such Intellectuals and Thought Leaders will also be required and they will need to undertake much work at the direction of the Thought Leadership team. Finally, commitment from across the Islamic World will culminate in the securing of funding for the duration of the new Manhattan Project.
It’s critical we understand that during the original Manhattan Project, although Dr. Oppenheimer was the director of the overall program, he had a wide variety of expertise and thought leadership engaged to support him. In fact, 1500 experts and scientists worked at the Los Alamos, New Mexico site between 1942-1945 during which they generated an aggregate expenditure of $2B [~$34B in 2023].
Of course, there are some very serious challenges that Muslim intelligentsia must address and overcome if it is to seriously contemplate such a Manhattan Project. Realistically, Thought leadership in the Muslim world is very sparse, both in depth and breadth, and across most disciplines. Most citizens in Muslim Society serve in the capacity of mercantilists or they work across the income spectrum in the proletariat. But in the capacity of Intellectuals the Muslim bench is exceedingly sparse. And the Thought Leader cohort within the pool of Intellectuals is sparser still. Within Islamic civilization today, the quality of institutions which can produce Intellectuals and Thought Leaders simply does not exist and so these deficiencies must be augmented by those from outside the Muslim World. Thus, a new Manhattan Project will require help from Intellectuals and Thought Leaders willing to lend their experience and expertise in economics, finance, geopolitics, history, international relations, political science and thought.
Does the will to seize the moment for such an initiative exist in Muslim society today or is it content to continue endlessly berating liberal democracy without offering a credible, functional alternative? In the Ancient Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods and gave it to humankind. When Zeus learned of what Prometheus had done, he chained him to a large stone where he was destined to be beaten for eternity. If Muslim civilization chooses not to seize the moment, if it does not establish its own Manhattan Project to develop modern governance on its own terms, it may be destined to a fate not dissimilar to that of Prometheus.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
July 10, 2023
Liberal Democracy | Why the Hesitancy? What are the Consequences of Rejection?
Liberal Democracy | Why the Hesitancy? What are the Consequences of Rejection?
July 9, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Liberal Democracy is the most advanced form of governance ever conceived and implemented by humankind. It has achieved incomparably superior economic and sociopolitical outcomes whence compared to any other political philosophy known to or implemented by humans in the 12,000-year period since the birth of civilization in Mesopotamia.
So why is it, then, that despite such incontrovertibly superior outcomes for liberal democracy, nearly 75% of humankind still lives under variants of Authoritarianism including electoral autocracy, monarchy, pseudo democracy, secular autocracy or theocracy? Let’s return to this question a bit later in the essay once we’ve had the opportunity to set the stage.
Liberal Democracy is an extremely carefully considered political philosophy. When the Framers of America’s Constitution [ratified in 1789] and Bill of Rights [first ten amendments to the Constitution ratified in 1791] set about developing this nascent nation’s supreme articles of governance, they were determined to begin their work at the earliest point at which we had any written knowledge of human experience with political philosophy and ideology of governance. This requirement for comprehensive rigor took the Framers back 2500 years to the earliest declaration of human rights known at the time, that of the 560 BCE founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, Cyrus. The philosophy of Cyrus had been captured by the protégé of Socrates and colleague of Plato, Xenophon in the book, Cyropaedia.
The Framers also considered key learnings from the Judeo-Christian scriptures and traditions, from the Athenian experiment with Democracy [demos - the people and kratia- to rule] [an experiment which cost Socrates his life], the Roman Republic, to Islamic scripture and legal traditions, and finally to the contemporary works of the Enlightenment Philosophers, John Locke [Liberalism] and Charles Montesquieu [Separation of Powers]. It was a comprehensive, formal and rigorous effort which included much debate, and which culminated in a document that remains at the heart of American democracy 232 years following ratification.
So why then, given the undeniable rigor and incontrovertible success in its development and outcomes, does most of the world refuse to adopt a locally adapted variant of Liberal Democracy as their own form of governance? In part it is because establishing Liberal Democracy is extremely difficult whence compared to authoritarian systems of governance. It requires cultural change across the broader society as well as the establishment of many institutions to effectively support governance and this is hard but certainly worthwhile, particularly when the mature liberal democracies of the West are so willing to help.
Another reason liberal democracies are difficult to establish is because for those already holding dynastic positions of power in various forms of settled authoritarian regimes, liberal democracy is very likely to see their grip loosened or broken. In the various forms of authoritarian regimes, families can hold power for generations and build extraordinary wealth whilst the rest of the society remains perennially mired in poverty. Thus, the ruling classes have no incentive to change whilst at the same time the mid-tier mercantilists, proletariat and peasant classes who might want liberal democracy will probably and unfortunately lack the resources necessary to bring about such change.
But what the authoritarian regimes fail to appreciate is that the very same cultural changes and political philosophy which underpins liberal democracy also plays a crucial role in establishing that most desirable and defining characteristic of all developed nations. To be clear the Crown Jewels of all modern developed nations are its national institutional matrix or institutional ecosystem and not their geographical size or population.
These institutional ecosystems include both public and private sector institutions - academic, medical, scientific and technological institutions, industrial organizations, civil society and nongovernmental organizations, professional societies, and so much more. The relationships that are established within institutions and at the points of confluence within the institutional ecosystem result in the exchange of knowledge and know how [best practices applicable across the matrix] as well as ideation which produces new research pathways, discoveries, innovations, interdisciplinary problem solving, high value-added goods and services and so much more.
Consider Japan and Russia as an important illustrative example.
Japan is a liberal democracy with a population of 125M. It has a geographical area of 378K sq km and a $4.2T GDP.
Russia is an Authoritarian state with absolute power consolidated in one individual - its president. It has a population of 147M a geographical area of 17.1M sq km and a GDP of $2.2T.
Both nations have populations with education levels similar to advanced European nations, but Russia’s GDP is about half that of Japan despite being 45x larger in its geographical area and despite having a larger population. Russia’s GDP is largely driven by an extraction economy - drawing agricultural commodities, oil and gas, minerals, etc. from the Earth does not require much in the way of sophisticated institutional ecosystems to function effectively.
But the Japanese economy cannot depend upon its land mass to enable its economy as Russia can. Its tiny island chain does not have the rich resources found across Russia’s extraordinarily large land mass, the largest of any nation in the world. Instead, Japan’s only option is to develop an inter/multi-disciplinary, highly sophisticated institutional ecosystem that provides the infrastructure for ideation, innovation and invention. The Japanese have done this very successfully and there is no question that this was possible due to the underlying culture which enables both Liberal Democracy as well as extremely sophisticated institutional ecosystems.
Specifically, it is the particular attention to the notion of Thumos [from Socratic-Platonic thought] - the desire innate within each of us to be recognized and counted. It is the explicit recognition by the State that we matter which calms and settles each of us as individuals. Additionally, it is the explicit commitment of liberal democracy to address the fissures that occur within society due to naturally occurring diversity - race and ethnicity, religion and sect, tribe and clan, caste and class, culture, language and provincialism, etc. For example, from the US Declaration of Independence we have, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Although such fissures and intolerance remain an issue in liberal democracies despite explicitly being addressed in the American Declaration of Independence [and similarly in the foundational documents and constitutions of all liberal democracies in the West] it is now an endemic condition and thus the resulting problems are manageable. Consequently, Western societies remain relatively peaceful and stable and in this environment institution building can effectively take place. However, in authoritarian societies where no explicit effort has been made to address Thumos or the societal fissures highlighted above, institution building is very difficult - the evidence is clear that an epidemic of intolerance precludes any society’s ability to build a world class institutional ecosystem [“a house divided amongst itself cannot stand.” Mathew 12:25]
In authoritarian societies intolerance leads to dislike. People who dislike one another cannot trust one another and if they cannot trust one another they cannot cooperate with one another. But institution building requires large numbers of individuals to establish highly flexible, large and sophisticated networks of cooperation and an epidemic of intolerance invariably precludes this from happening.
Unfortunately, in an era in which we are facing Climate Change, a dangerous transition from a unipolar to a bipolar world order and also the 4th Industrial Revolution which will bring mass unemployment and confusion as we introduce sophisticated Artificial General Intelligence, Biotechnology and Gene/Germ line editing, for nations trapped in the grips of Authoritarian rule and thus unable to establish institutional ecosystems the future is likely to be extremely challenging.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
July 9, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Liberal Democracy is the most advanced form of governance ever conceived and implemented by humankind. It has achieved incomparably superior economic and sociopolitical outcomes whence compared to any other political philosophy known to or implemented by humans in the 12,000-year period since the birth of civilization in Mesopotamia.
So why is it, then, that despite such incontrovertibly superior outcomes for liberal democracy, nearly 75% of humankind still lives under variants of Authoritarianism including electoral autocracy, monarchy, pseudo democracy, secular autocracy or theocracy? Let’s return to this question a bit later in the essay once we’ve had the opportunity to set the stage.
Liberal Democracy is an extremely carefully considered political philosophy. When the Framers of America’s Constitution [ratified in 1789] and Bill of Rights [first ten amendments to the Constitution ratified in 1791] set about developing this nascent nation’s supreme articles of governance, they were determined to begin their work at the earliest point at which we had any written knowledge of human experience with political philosophy and ideology of governance. This requirement for comprehensive rigor took the Framers back 2500 years to the earliest declaration of human rights known at the time, that of the 560 BCE founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, Cyrus. The philosophy of Cyrus had been captured by the protégé of Socrates and colleague of Plato, Xenophon in the book, Cyropaedia.
The Framers also considered key learnings from the Judeo-Christian scriptures and traditions, from the Athenian experiment with Democracy [demos - the people and kratia- to rule] [an experiment which cost Socrates his life], the Roman Republic, to Islamic scripture and legal traditions, and finally to the contemporary works of the Enlightenment Philosophers, John Locke [Liberalism] and Charles Montesquieu [Separation of Powers]. It was a comprehensive, formal and rigorous effort which included much debate, and which culminated in a document that remains at the heart of American democracy 232 years following ratification.
So why then, given the undeniable rigor and incontrovertible success in its development and outcomes, does most of the world refuse to adopt a locally adapted variant of Liberal Democracy as their own form of governance? In part it is because establishing Liberal Democracy is extremely difficult whence compared to authoritarian systems of governance. It requires cultural change across the broader society as well as the establishment of many institutions to effectively support governance and this is hard but certainly worthwhile, particularly when the mature liberal democracies of the West are so willing to help.
Another reason liberal democracies are difficult to establish is because for those already holding dynastic positions of power in various forms of settled authoritarian regimes, liberal democracy is very likely to see their grip loosened or broken. In the various forms of authoritarian regimes, families can hold power for generations and build extraordinary wealth whilst the rest of the society remains perennially mired in poverty. Thus, the ruling classes have no incentive to change whilst at the same time the mid-tier mercantilists, proletariat and peasant classes who might want liberal democracy will probably and unfortunately lack the resources necessary to bring about such change.
But what the authoritarian regimes fail to appreciate is that the very same cultural changes and political philosophy which underpins liberal democracy also plays a crucial role in establishing that most desirable and defining characteristic of all developed nations. To be clear the Crown Jewels of all modern developed nations are its national institutional matrix or institutional ecosystem and not their geographical size or population.
These institutional ecosystems include both public and private sector institutions - academic, medical, scientific and technological institutions, industrial organizations, civil society and nongovernmental organizations, professional societies, and so much more. The relationships that are established within institutions and at the points of confluence within the institutional ecosystem result in the exchange of knowledge and know how [best practices applicable across the matrix] as well as ideation which produces new research pathways, discoveries, innovations, interdisciplinary problem solving, high value-added goods and services and so much more.
Consider Japan and Russia as an important illustrative example.
Japan is a liberal democracy with a population of 125M. It has a geographical area of 378K sq km and a $4.2T GDP.
Russia is an Authoritarian state with absolute power consolidated in one individual - its president. It has a population of 147M a geographical area of 17.1M sq km and a GDP of $2.2T.
Both nations have populations with education levels similar to advanced European nations, but Russia’s GDP is about half that of Japan despite being 45x larger in its geographical area and despite having a larger population. Russia’s GDP is largely driven by an extraction economy - drawing agricultural commodities, oil and gas, minerals, etc. from the Earth does not require much in the way of sophisticated institutional ecosystems to function effectively.
But the Japanese economy cannot depend upon its land mass to enable its economy as Russia can. Its tiny island chain does not have the rich resources found across Russia’s extraordinarily large land mass, the largest of any nation in the world. Instead, Japan’s only option is to develop an inter/multi-disciplinary, highly sophisticated institutional ecosystem that provides the infrastructure for ideation, innovation and invention. The Japanese have done this very successfully and there is no question that this was possible due to the underlying culture which enables both Liberal Democracy as well as extremely sophisticated institutional ecosystems.
Specifically, it is the particular attention to the notion of Thumos [from Socratic-Platonic thought] - the desire innate within each of us to be recognized and counted. It is the explicit recognition by the State that we matter which calms and settles each of us as individuals. Additionally, it is the explicit commitment of liberal democracy to address the fissures that occur within society due to naturally occurring diversity - race and ethnicity, religion and sect, tribe and clan, caste and class, culture, language and provincialism, etc. For example, from the US Declaration of Independence we have, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Although such fissures and intolerance remain an issue in liberal democracies despite explicitly being addressed in the American Declaration of Independence [and similarly in the foundational documents and constitutions of all liberal democracies in the West] it is now an endemic condition and thus the resulting problems are manageable. Consequently, Western societies remain relatively peaceful and stable and in this environment institution building can effectively take place. However, in authoritarian societies where no explicit effort has been made to address Thumos or the societal fissures highlighted above, institution building is very difficult - the evidence is clear that an epidemic of intolerance precludes any society’s ability to build a world class institutional ecosystem [“a house divided amongst itself cannot stand.” Mathew 12:25]
In authoritarian societies intolerance leads to dislike. People who dislike one another cannot trust one another and if they cannot trust one another they cannot cooperate with one another. But institution building requires large numbers of individuals to establish highly flexible, large and sophisticated networks of cooperation and an epidemic of intolerance invariably precludes this from happening.
Unfortunately, in an era in which we are facing Climate Change, a dangerous transition from a unipolar to a bipolar world order and also the 4th Industrial Revolution which will bring mass unemployment and confusion as we introduce sophisticated Artificial General Intelligence, Biotechnology and Gene/Germ line editing, for nations trapped in the grips of Authoritarian rule and thus unable to establish institutional ecosystems the future is likely to be extremely challenging.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is a highly experienced writer and is the author of several books. Vicar’s most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair. Vicar has written over 140 essays and recorded nearly 100 lectures on Artificial Intelligence. His forthcoming book is titled, “Our World in 2050”. The book examines the three major trends reshaping the world today and how they will change our world in the future: the rise of China and the resulting change to the world order, the ubiquity and pervasiveness of Artificial Intelligence and Climate Change.
Vicar has lectured widely to audiences around the world, stretching from Silicon Valley to Singapore. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well. Most recently, Vicar has lectured on ‘AI - Implications for Democracy in an Age of Surging Authoritarianism’ at Elmhurst University and at East West University on ‘AI | Implications for Our Future’.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
May 23, 2023
Pathway to European Leadership in Global Trade | Foundations for the Industrial Revolution
Pathway to European Leadership in Global Trade | Foundations for the Industrial Revolution
May 23, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
The Black Death [Yersenia Pestis – Bubonic/Pneumonic/Septicemic Plague] arrived in Europe in approximately 1348 CE. People afflicted with Bubonic Plague confronted a mortality rate of about 20% whilst those afflicted with Pneumonic or Septicemic Plague faced near certain death. With such horrific mortality rates, the Black Death remains the deadliest pandemic to ever afflict humankind – most historians believe nearly half the population of Europe died because of this pathogen.
The Black Death had no significant impact on livestock or other domestic animals. Homes and all other property and wealth [including gold and silver] remained largely unscathed by the subsequent social upheaval. But as the societies of Europe gradually recovered, they did face an acute shortage of workers and a corresponding surge in wages demanded by the surviving men. The labor costs and shortage provided a significant impetus for the extraction of slaves from the African Continent thus giving rise to the European Slave Trade [the Arabs also extracted similar volumes of African slaves, whilst the Ottomans extracted their slaves largely from the Slavic Communities of Eastern Europe].
In the wake of the Black Death and the Renaissance, the Europeans were keen to increase trade with Asia – the Chinese and others in the Far East produced silk and porcelain pottery of exquisite quality whilst the Indians in South Asia produced superb cotton and steel. Such was the demand for these goods that the Europeans undertook dangerous, grueling and long journeys by both maritime and terrestrial routes to China and India in their quest to purchase these products which they could then trade for handsome profits in Europe.
The sophistication and quality of Chinese and Indian goods afforded local merchants the luxury to sit back and relax whilst European merchants endured all manner of hardship for the privilege of purchasing these superior goods in these distant markets. They also demanded the Europeans pay them in gold and silver thus further exacerbating the challenges and dangers from piracy for the visiting merchants.
But the collective hardships endured by the Europeans eventually paid them tremendously handsome dividends – the arduous journey, the high cost of labor for crews, the countless dangers of the exhausting journey and numerous other challenges taught the Europeans a great deal about all aspects of global trade. Their frustration over heavy Ottoman taxation at ports and trade routes [both maritime and terrestrial] provided the impetus which eventually led to the discovery of the New World [Americas] as they searched for uncharted sea routes to the East.
During this period, the Europeans developed superior ships and sailing skills, as well. They dramatically improved their military strategies and tactics alongside their weapons technology which was necessary to defend their mercantile fleets from piracy on the high seas and from competing European traders. They established sophisticated trade and trade finance networks too. This advanced ecosystem of knowledge and processes for effective global trade positioned them exceptionally well for the next major step in their evolution – the colonization of large parts of Africa and Asia and The Age of Empire.
This enterprising and innovative spirit eventually found its way deep into European culture and thus laid the foundation for the 1st Industrial Revolution [steam & mechanization] and later the 2nd [electricity, light and telecommunications] and 3rd [computing] Industrial Revolutions. As we stand at the cusp of the 4th Industrial Revolution [AI, Biotech, Computing – Quantum/Super, Data Science, Evolutionary Biology and Psychology and our ability to apply Gene and Germ line Editing to override evolutionary pathways] the Europeans and their descendants in North America remain at the helm of innovation they ascended to so many centuries ago – the institutional ecosystems [both public and private] they have established [academic, medical, scientific, technological institutions and industrial organizations, professional societies, NGO’s, scientific and technical journals, etc.] once again finds them at the vanguard of the tectonic shifts underway in our era.
In concert with European advances in governance in the wake of the wars of religion in the 16th and 17th centuries and the contributions of the Enlightenment Philosophers – Locke, Montesquieu [Liberalism, Separation of Powers] and so many others – the Europeans have the best possible foundation for what is today the most successful form of government of the past 12,000 years – the Liberal Democracy. When paired with the Market Economy and the numerous lessons learned from global trade relations with China and India, the European model of economic and political philosophy implemented largely in the West offers the best prospects for the future of all developing nations. But they must each first make a commitment to adopt a culturally and locally appropriate version of this governance philosophy and then engage in institution building to support the system.
Perhaps in the future there will be a superior economic and political model but until then the evidence is incontrovertible – liberal democracy & market economy is the best path forward.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence and its implications for society. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
May 23, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
The Black Death [Yersenia Pestis – Bubonic/Pneumonic/Septicemic Plague] arrived in Europe in approximately 1348 CE. People afflicted with Bubonic Plague confronted a mortality rate of about 20% whilst those afflicted with Pneumonic or Septicemic Plague faced near certain death. With such horrific mortality rates, the Black Death remains the deadliest pandemic to ever afflict humankind – most historians believe nearly half the population of Europe died because of this pathogen.
The Black Death had no significant impact on livestock or other domestic animals. Homes and all other property and wealth [including gold and silver] remained largely unscathed by the subsequent social upheaval. But as the societies of Europe gradually recovered, they did face an acute shortage of workers and a corresponding surge in wages demanded by the surviving men. The labor costs and shortage provided a significant impetus for the extraction of slaves from the African Continent thus giving rise to the European Slave Trade [the Arabs also extracted similar volumes of African slaves, whilst the Ottomans extracted their slaves largely from the Slavic Communities of Eastern Europe].
In the wake of the Black Death and the Renaissance, the Europeans were keen to increase trade with Asia – the Chinese and others in the Far East produced silk and porcelain pottery of exquisite quality whilst the Indians in South Asia produced superb cotton and steel. Such was the demand for these goods that the Europeans undertook dangerous, grueling and long journeys by both maritime and terrestrial routes to China and India in their quest to purchase these products which they could then trade for handsome profits in Europe.
The sophistication and quality of Chinese and Indian goods afforded local merchants the luxury to sit back and relax whilst European merchants endured all manner of hardship for the privilege of purchasing these superior goods in these distant markets. They also demanded the Europeans pay them in gold and silver thus further exacerbating the challenges and dangers from piracy for the visiting merchants.
But the collective hardships endured by the Europeans eventually paid them tremendously handsome dividends – the arduous journey, the high cost of labor for crews, the countless dangers of the exhausting journey and numerous other challenges taught the Europeans a great deal about all aspects of global trade. Their frustration over heavy Ottoman taxation at ports and trade routes [both maritime and terrestrial] provided the impetus which eventually led to the discovery of the New World [Americas] as they searched for uncharted sea routes to the East.
During this period, the Europeans developed superior ships and sailing skills, as well. They dramatically improved their military strategies and tactics alongside their weapons technology which was necessary to defend their mercantile fleets from piracy on the high seas and from competing European traders. They established sophisticated trade and trade finance networks too. This advanced ecosystem of knowledge and processes for effective global trade positioned them exceptionally well for the next major step in their evolution – the colonization of large parts of Africa and Asia and The Age of Empire.
This enterprising and innovative spirit eventually found its way deep into European culture and thus laid the foundation for the 1st Industrial Revolution [steam & mechanization] and later the 2nd [electricity, light and telecommunications] and 3rd [computing] Industrial Revolutions. As we stand at the cusp of the 4th Industrial Revolution [AI, Biotech, Computing – Quantum/Super, Data Science, Evolutionary Biology and Psychology and our ability to apply Gene and Germ line Editing to override evolutionary pathways] the Europeans and their descendants in North America remain at the helm of innovation they ascended to so many centuries ago – the institutional ecosystems [both public and private] they have established [academic, medical, scientific, technological institutions and industrial organizations, professional societies, NGO’s, scientific and technical journals, etc.] once again finds them at the vanguard of the tectonic shifts underway in our era.
In concert with European advances in governance in the wake of the wars of religion in the 16th and 17th centuries and the contributions of the Enlightenment Philosophers – Locke, Montesquieu [Liberalism, Separation of Powers] and so many others – the Europeans have the best possible foundation for what is today the most successful form of government of the past 12,000 years – the Liberal Democracy. When paired with the Market Economy and the numerous lessons learned from global trade relations with China and India, the European model of economic and political philosophy implemented largely in the West offers the best prospects for the future of all developing nations. But they must each first make a commitment to adopt a culturally and locally appropriate version of this governance philosophy and then engage in institution building to support the system.
Perhaps in the future there will be a superior economic and political model but until then the evidence is incontrovertible – liberal democracy & market economy is the best path forward.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence and its implications for society. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
April 7, 2023
Israel Erupts | Implications for Its Citizens, Economy, Neighbors & Future
Israel Erupts | Implications for Its Citizens, Economy, Neighbors & Future
April 7, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Since its founding nearly eight decades ago, Israel has been proud of its liberal democracy. It is indeed the only such system of government in the Middle East. Israeli governance is certainly not comparable in quality to the best-in-class Northern European democracies, but nevertheless, in a region perennially surrounded by Authoritarian strongmen and Theocracies, it certainly stood out for its Western form of government, its institutional ecosystem and its enviable economy which is a hallmark of liberal democracies.
However, when the State of Israel was founded by David Ben-Gurion in 1948, leaders were unable to reach a consensus on a constitution which, like the US or European constitution, would have codified the privileges and rights afforded to every citizen. These rights would then be inalienable: no government, present or future, would be able to modify or overturn them without confronting excruciatingly challenging built-in defense mechanisms.
But at the time, the founders of the nascent Israeli State were unable to agree on a constitution so the contentious and difficult task of drafting and codifying such a crucial component of national governance was deferred to a future date. Unfortunately, this critical initiative was never taken up again. Yet miraculously, Israel survived for nearly eight decades without a major constitutional crisis – no individual or political party has previously demonstrated any desire or motivation to break the nation’s fragile democracy. Until now.
Unlike Israeli democracy, America’s democracy has numerous mechanisms embedded in its governance that serve as checks on the potential for various abuses of power. The executive, legislative and judicial branches of government share power and are further empowered to check or contain each other’s actions or abuses. Further differentiating itself from Israel, America also has a Senate which serves as an intra-legislative check on the House of Representatives. America additionally has a Presidential veto which serves as a check on legislative overreach, and by design, overcoming such Presidential vetoes can be extremely challenging. Further, America replicates its Federal system of governance at the State level with additional constitutions, executive branches and legislatures [Senate and House] which serve as yet more containment mechanisms on the abuse of power.
Since Israeli democracy has none of America’s complex and nuanced mechanisms to check the power of a rogue Knesset [Israeli legislative assembly], as we are witnessing today, the country is in a very dangerous situation. The recently seated coalition government is proposing judicial reforms that if enacted will override the Supreme Court with a simple Knesset majority of 61 votes [out of 120 seats]. But historically, the only check on the Knesset’s power has been the Israeli Supreme Court. So now, if the judicial reforms the Prime Minister, his right-wing and ultraorthodox coalition partners are desperately working to enact are successful, they – and future Israeli governments – will be able to override the Supreme Court with a simple Knesset majority. Consequently, the proposed judicial reforms will turn Israel into an Authoritarian society where the majority and their leader can rule with virtually unchecked power, in effect turning Israel into a Theocracy.
The economic damage to Israel from such a judicial override will be unprecedented for the State. A steady flow of Foreign Direct Investment [FDI] into the country is crucial for its sustenance and continued development, but such investment demands unambiguous and strong rule of law. Unsurprisingly though, the current crisis in Israel is causing confidence amongst such foreign investors to erode at an alarming rate.
Israel’s technology sector is also crucial to its economy – it contributes significantly to the nation’s GDP with the export of high margin goods and services. But the Authoritarian, Theocratic direction the country has taken has sent chills through the tech sector – very few entrepreneurs are now willing to risk their capital and energy to form new startups within the legal jurisdiction of a State with Authoritarian power and no rigorous institutional checks. These entrepreneurs – Israel’s best and brightest – will henceforth look to Europe or Silicon Valley as a more suitable environment for their new enterprise.
In Israel’s universities – as in all other institutions of higher learning – academic freedom has always been crucial to the achievements of Israeli researchers, scholars and scientists. But the rise of a Theocratic State will reverberate through the hallowed halls of Israeli academia, as well. As a result, Israel’s best and brightest scholars are likely to flee to academic, medical, scientific, technological and industrial research institutions and organizations in America and Europe. Consequently, Israel will gradually deteriorate and begin to resemble its Middle East neighbors. Its institutional ecosystem will wither and will no longer be capable of serving its crucial role of ideation, collaboration and communication which has been so essential to the nation’s economic progress.
Israel’s pharmaceutical research and development sector – not unlike similar sectors in other advanced economies – rests on the certainty of the science of human evolution. Each new drug and its corresponding mechanism of action is tested and validated for safety and efficacy on laboratory mice and rhesus monkeys because both share our mammalian biology, and the rhesus macaques additionally share our anatomical and physiological characteristics. But in a Theocratic State that rejects the validity of Evolutionary Biology, what is the outlook for the pharmaceutical sector and so much promising medical and scientific research that rests on the acceptance of this science? Will fear of the Theocratic State and its enablers result in self-censorship and cancellation of research?
Geopolitically, as China seeks to reshape the world order by establishing a second pole of significant influence that credibly rivals that of America, Authoritarian rulers around the world are being drawn to Beijing’s growing sphere of political heft and economic power – the idea of remaining in power indefinitely, without regard to performance in office or answering charges of corruption and illegality – is tremendously attractive. China has recently brokered a peace between Israel’s archnemesis, Iran and its powerful neighbor, Saudi Arabia. Israel was working hard to draw Saudi Arabia, the fourth regional power besides Iran, Israel and Türkiye into the Abraham Accords, thus making peace with all major players in the region without any concessions to the Palestinians.
But with such an emerging bipolar world order – with America as the leader of the western liberal democracies [plus Japan, South Korea and Taiwan] and China as the global leader of Authoritarian States including those which surround Israel – the degeneration of Israel into an Authoritarian Theocracy in its own right poses challenges that have previously not been considered. For example, will a Theocratic State of Israel lose its support amongst the liberal democratic pole of influence in the West whilst itself shunning Chinese influence in the region? Where does such an outcome leave Israel? And with the rise of Artificial Intelligence and its ability to comprehensively surveil citizens on-line as well as physically, things promise to become increasingly dangerous everywhere, but particularly amongst Authoritarians in the region.
It seems Israel’s best course of action to secure its future would be to work to strengthen its democratic credentials rather than abandoning them, to join the community of liberal democracies led by America and finally to make serious and sincere efforts to establish a long overdue just and lasting peace with its Palestinian neighbors. Any other course of action is likely to fail its citizens and lead the nation into an abyss from which it may be impossible to emerge.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence and its implications for society. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at Universities on AI and its implications for geopolitics and governance and he has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
April 7, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Since its founding nearly eight decades ago, Israel has been proud of its liberal democracy. It is indeed the only such system of government in the Middle East. Israeli governance is certainly not comparable in quality to the best-in-class Northern European democracies, but nevertheless, in a region perennially surrounded by Authoritarian strongmen and Theocracies, it certainly stood out for its Western form of government, its institutional ecosystem and its enviable economy which is a hallmark of liberal democracies.
However, when the State of Israel was founded by David Ben-Gurion in 1948, leaders were unable to reach a consensus on a constitution which, like the US or European constitution, would have codified the privileges and rights afforded to every citizen. These rights would then be inalienable: no government, present or future, would be able to modify or overturn them without confronting excruciatingly challenging built-in defense mechanisms.
But at the time, the founders of the nascent Israeli State were unable to agree on a constitution so the contentious and difficult task of drafting and codifying such a crucial component of national governance was deferred to a future date. Unfortunately, this critical initiative was never taken up again. Yet miraculously, Israel survived for nearly eight decades without a major constitutional crisis – no individual or political party has previously demonstrated any desire or motivation to break the nation’s fragile democracy. Until now.
Unlike Israeli democracy, America’s democracy has numerous mechanisms embedded in its governance that serve as checks on the potential for various abuses of power. The executive, legislative and judicial branches of government share power and are further empowered to check or contain each other’s actions or abuses. Further differentiating itself from Israel, America also has a Senate which serves as an intra-legislative check on the House of Representatives. America additionally has a Presidential veto which serves as a check on legislative overreach, and by design, overcoming such Presidential vetoes can be extremely challenging. Further, America replicates its Federal system of governance at the State level with additional constitutions, executive branches and legislatures [Senate and House] which serve as yet more containment mechanisms on the abuse of power.
Since Israeli democracy has none of America’s complex and nuanced mechanisms to check the power of a rogue Knesset [Israeli legislative assembly], as we are witnessing today, the country is in a very dangerous situation. The recently seated coalition government is proposing judicial reforms that if enacted will override the Supreme Court with a simple Knesset majority of 61 votes [out of 120 seats]. But historically, the only check on the Knesset’s power has been the Israeli Supreme Court. So now, if the judicial reforms the Prime Minister, his right-wing and ultraorthodox coalition partners are desperately working to enact are successful, they – and future Israeli governments – will be able to override the Supreme Court with a simple Knesset majority. Consequently, the proposed judicial reforms will turn Israel into an Authoritarian society where the majority and their leader can rule with virtually unchecked power, in effect turning Israel into a Theocracy.
The economic damage to Israel from such a judicial override will be unprecedented for the State. A steady flow of Foreign Direct Investment [FDI] into the country is crucial for its sustenance and continued development, but such investment demands unambiguous and strong rule of law. Unsurprisingly though, the current crisis in Israel is causing confidence amongst such foreign investors to erode at an alarming rate.
Israel’s technology sector is also crucial to its economy – it contributes significantly to the nation’s GDP with the export of high margin goods and services. But the Authoritarian, Theocratic direction the country has taken has sent chills through the tech sector – very few entrepreneurs are now willing to risk their capital and energy to form new startups within the legal jurisdiction of a State with Authoritarian power and no rigorous institutional checks. These entrepreneurs – Israel’s best and brightest – will henceforth look to Europe or Silicon Valley as a more suitable environment for their new enterprise.
In Israel’s universities – as in all other institutions of higher learning – academic freedom has always been crucial to the achievements of Israeli researchers, scholars and scientists. But the rise of a Theocratic State will reverberate through the hallowed halls of Israeli academia, as well. As a result, Israel’s best and brightest scholars are likely to flee to academic, medical, scientific, technological and industrial research institutions and organizations in America and Europe. Consequently, Israel will gradually deteriorate and begin to resemble its Middle East neighbors. Its institutional ecosystem will wither and will no longer be capable of serving its crucial role of ideation, collaboration and communication which has been so essential to the nation’s economic progress.
Israel’s pharmaceutical research and development sector – not unlike similar sectors in other advanced economies – rests on the certainty of the science of human evolution. Each new drug and its corresponding mechanism of action is tested and validated for safety and efficacy on laboratory mice and rhesus monkeys because both share our mammalian biology, and the rhesus macaques additionally share our anatomical and physiological characteristics. But in a Theocratic State that rejects the validity of Evolutionary Biology, what is the outlook for the pharmaceutical sector and so much promising medical and scientific research that rests on the acceptance of this science? Will fear of the Theocratic State and its enablers result in self-censorship and cancellation of research?
Geopolitically, as China seeks to reshape the world order by establishing a second pole of significant influence that credibly rivals that of America, Authoritarian rulers around the world are being drawn to Beijing’s growing sphere of political heft and economic power – the idea of remaining in power indefinitely, without regard to performance in office or answering charges of corruption and illegality – is tremendously attractive. China has recently brokered a peace between Israel’s archnemesis, Iran and its powerful neighbor, Saudi Arabia. Israel was working hard to draw Saudi Arabia, the fourth regional power besides Iran, Israel and Türkiye into the Abraham Accords, thus making peace with all major players in the region without any concessions to the Palestinians.
But with such an emerging bipolar world order – with America as the leader of the western liberal democracies [plus Japan, South Korea and Taiwan] and China as the global leader of Authoritarian States including those which surround Israel – the degeneration of Israel into an Authoritarian Theocracy in its own right poses challenges that have previously not been considered. For example, will a Theocratic State of Israel lose its support amongst the liberal democratic pole of influence in the West whilst itself shunning Chinese influence in the region? Where does such an outcome leave Israel? And with the rise of Artificial Intelligence and its ability to comprehensively surveil citizens on-line as well as physically, things promise to become increasingly dangerous everywhere, but particularly amongst Authoritarians in the region.
It seems Israel’s best course of action to secure its future would be to work to strengthen its democratic credentials rather than abandoning them, to join the community of liberal democracies led by America and finally to make serious and sincere efforts to establish a long overdue just and lasting peace with its Palestinian neighbors. Any other course of action is likely to fail its citizens and lead the nation into an abyss from which it may be impossible to emerge.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence and its implications for society. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at Universities on AI and its implications for geopolitics and governance and he has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
March 27, 2023
Pakistan In Crisis – Analysis of a Self-Imposed, Chronic Pathology
Pakistan In Crisis – Analysis of a Self-Imposed, Chronic Pathology
March 27, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Pakistan is in crisis. The evidence is quite simply undeniable. Perhaps unlike any previous time in its history, this nation of 240M diverse people disbursed over a land mass approaching 800,000 square kilometers is now facing existential challenges that are economic, financial and humanitarian in character. But the problems of Pakistan are usually viewed by most observers and partisans through a frightening and emotionally charged political lens rather than through a rational, scientific and technocratic lens. Perhaps in the interest of Pakistan and its long-suffering citizenry, it’s now time for another approach: a time for a less divisive and a more pragmatic analysis of Pakistan’s self-imposed, chronic pathology.
Let’s begin by considering Pakistan’s fiscal dilemma. It has been nearly eight decades since the birth of this nation, a partition event following India’s independence from British Colonial rule in 1947. During these eight decades, successive governments – including those of the recent past – have failed to raise the rate of fiscal capture on the overall economy beyond 5%. Fiscal capture is the percent of GDP that is subjected to taxation on a consistent and formal basis. In 2022, Pakistan’s GDP was ~$350B. This means that fiscal capture yielded only ~$18B of taxable income for the State.
Since its birth, the Pakistani State has petitioned the IMF for loans on 22 separate occasions: on average, approximately once every three to five years. The current government is now engaged in its 23rd such petition. During its young life, the Pakistani State has separately petitioned the Chinese State, the Pakistani Diaspora as well as the Saudi State for loans, as well. As a result, Pakistan currently has an annual debt service burden to bilateral and multilateral lenders of ~$30B per year for the next five years whilst simultaneously having only $3B-5B in foreign exchange reserves [at the end of 2022].
A second crucial deficiency we must consider is Pakistan’s national institutional matrix, the network of public and private sector institutions that are the hallmark and crown jewels of any developed nation. Unsurprisingly, throughout its history, Pakistan has been unable to raise such a robust national institutional network. But high quality, high functioning, transparent institutional ecosystems are essential for the formation of an advanced, peaceful and prosperous nation. Thus, such an ecosystem is absolutely critical for any state which aspires to develop high value-added goods and services for export.
High value-added exports are normally the only way for a nation to raise the standard of living of its people to the level typical of a developed nation [exceptionally, some states may have natural resources so an economy based on extraction of industrial commodities required in large quantity by developed and developing nations alike can be used to mask the lack of a high-quality institutional ecosystem. The Gulf Arab States and the Russian Federation are prominent examples. But any nation which ignores the significance of robust institutional ecosystems to their success in the modern world often finds itself with many other problems including a bloated State and high unemployment.]
In a world on the cusp of the 4th Industrial Revolution where Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Computing [Quantum & Super], Data Science, Gene & Germ Line Editing [and their potential to override the human evolutionary process with Intelligent Design] and Genomics, those nations without advanced, thoughtfully developed institutional ecosystems – and therefore the ability to meaningfully engage in global trade with offers of high value-added goods and services – will find the standard of living of their societies declining precipitously. [See figure 1].
Figure 1
Both technical issues discussed above – the lack of institutional ecosystems and the exceedingly low rates of fiscal capture [vis a vis the nation’s GDP] – share a common chronic pathology: it is the destructive and ill-considered narrative, the very story that the people of Pakistan – and most other perennially developing nations – subscribe to. It is the story they live by, and which is deeply embedded in their culture. These stories are very difficult to change. Thus, to work to overcome this dilemma by developing and socializing a unifying story is the true measure of leadership for any head of state and the leaders of a society. This, of course, includes Pakistan.
Unfortunately, unless a nation carefully designs a story that addresses the needs of the individual [from Socratic-Platonic thought, we have Thumos or human agency] whilst also finding a way to manage the diversity inherent within their societies [culture, ethnicity, linguistic tradition, province, race, religion, sect, tribe, etc.] the probability is exceedingly high that the national story embedded in the culture will be divisive. If societies live by such divisive stories, it is virtually impossible for the two chronic pathologies discussed above to be overcome. They have precluded their ability to build national institutional networks and to increase their rate of fiscal capture. [See figure 2]
Figure 2
If the people within a society do not have a shared unifying story, they will suffer from endemic division and intolerance of the diversity they encounter on a regular basis. Such pervasive and ubiquitous intolerance will lead to distrust and this distrust then precludes their ability to work together. But the ability to work together is our superpower. We have evidence of this going back 70,000 years in humankind’s existence to the Cognitive Revolution. It is how we have been able to achieve the extraordinary things such as the Apollo moon landing on July 20, 1969, or the building of the pyramids at Giza in 2,500 BCE. The Apollo moon landing required the cooperation of 400,000 people employed by 20,000 American corporations and institutions. They needed to work together flexibly in perhaps the most complex, nuanced and sophisticated way and at a scale not seen before in human history. A unifying story was critical to have so many people across so many organizations cooperate so effectively and successfully.
Without these sophisticated networks of cooperation, it is impossible to raise and develop institutions. Furthermore, a developed nation will require an array of such public and private sector institutions targeting a spectrum of disciplines [academic, medical, scientific, technological, industrial, civil society, non-governmental, professional, etc.] It is then the communications, data flow and know-how across this institutional public-private sector matrix [Figure 1] which provides the capacity and potential for the development of and trade in high value-added goods and services in a global economy.
Additionally, if a society does not share a unifying narrative, they have no incentive to submit to taxation. The people will complain that they don’t want their taxes to go to people outside of their group. The in-group won’t want outsiders whom they dislike receiving their taxes and thus improving their living conditions at the in-group’s expense. Thus, the fiscal capture issue will remain endemic – as it has in Pakistan for the past eight decades – thus starving the State of the resources required to engage in institution building and virtually every other function of State.
In conclusion, we can see from this analysis that the current debate in Pakistan between those supporting the recent Prime Minister versus those opposed to him are really quite irrelevant to the future of this wonderful nation. Neither he nor the present Prime Minister nor any leader over the past eight decades has been able to unify the people by reshaping the narrative in a manner that finally resolves the multitude of fissures within society [the essential pathology ailing the nation], thus addressing the two critical dilemmas, as outlined in this essay.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence and its implications for society. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
March 27, 2023
Vicar Sayeedi
Pakistan is in crisis. The evidence is quite simply undeniable. Perhaps unlike any previous time in its history, this nation of 240M diverse people disbursed over a land mass approaching 800,000 square kilometers is now facing existential challenges that are economic, financial and humanitarian in character. But the problems of Pakistan are usually viewed by most observers and partisans through a frightening and emotionally charged political lens rather than through a rational, scientific and technocratic lens. Perhaps in the interest of Pakistan and its long-suffering citizenry, it’s now time for another approach: a time for a less divisive and a more pragmatic analysis of Pakistan’s self-imposed, chronic pathology.
Let’s begin by considering Pakistan’s fiscal dilemma. It has been nearly eight decades since the birth of this nation, a partition event following India’s independence from British Colonial rule in 1947. During these eight decades, successive governments – including those of the recent past – have failed to raise the rate of fiscal capture on the overall economy beyond 5%. Fiscal capture is the percent of GDP that is subjected to taxation on a consistent and formal basis. In 2022, Pakistan’s GDP was ~$350B. This means that fiscal capture yielded only ~$18B of taxable income for the State.
Since its birth, the Pakistani State has petitioned the IMF for loans on 22 separate occasions: on average, approximately once every three to five years. The current government is now engaged in its 23rd such petition. During its young life, the Pakistani State has separately petitioned the Chinese State, the Pakistani Diaspora as well as the Saudi State for loans, as well. As a result, Pakistan currently has an annual debt service burden to bilateral and multilateral lenders of ~$30B per year for the next five years whilst simultaneously having only $3B-5B in foreign exchange reserves [at the end of 2022].
A second crucial deficiency we must consider is Pakistan’s national institutional matrix, the network of public and private sector institutions that are the hallmark and crown jewels of any developed nation. Unsurprisingly, throughout its history, Pakistan has been unable to raise such a robust national institutional network. But high quality, high functioning, transparent institutional ecosystems are essential for the formation of an advanced, peaceful and prosperous nation. Thus, such an ecosystem is absolutely critical for any state which aspires to develop high value-added goods and services for export.
High value-added exports are normally the only way for a nation to raise the standard of living of its people to the level typical of a developed nation [exceptionally, some states may have natural resources so an economy based on extraction of industrial commodities required in large quantity by developed and developing nations alike can be used to mask the lack of a high-quality institutional ecosystem. The Gulf Arab States and the Russian Federation are prominent examples. But any nation which ignores the significance of robust institutional ecosystems to their success in the modern world often finds itself with many other problems including a bloated State and high unemployment.]
In a world on the cusp of the 4th Industrial Revolution where Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Computing [Quantum & Super], Data Science, Gene & Germ Line Editing [and their potential to override the human evolutionary process with Intelligent Design] and Genomics, those nations without advanced, thoughtfully developed institutional ecosystems – and therefore the ability to meaningfully engage in global trade with offers of high value-added goods and services – will find the standard of living of their societies declining precipitously. [See figure 1].
Figure 1
Both technical issues discussed above – the lack of institutional ecosystems and the exceedingly low rates of fiscal capture [vis a vis the nation’s GDP] – share a common chronic pathology: it is the destructive and ill-considered narrative, the very story that the people of Pakistan – and most other perennially developing nations – subscribe to. It is the story they live by, and which is deeply embedded in their culture. These stories are very difficult to change. Thus, to work to overcome this dilemma by developing and socializing a unifying story is the true measure of leadership for any head of state and the leaders of a society. This, of course, includes Pakistan.
Unfortunately, unless a nation carefully designs a story that addresses the needs of the individual [from Socratic-Platonic thought, we have Thumos or human agency] whilst also finding a way to manage the diversity inherent within their societies [culture, ethnicity, linguistic tradition, province, race, religion, sect, tribe, etc.] the probability is exceedingly high that the national story embedded in the culture will be divisive. If societies live by such divisive stories, it is virtually impossible for the two chronic pathologies discussed above to be overcome. They have precluded their ability to build national institutional networks and to increase their rate of fiscal capture. [See figure 2]
Figure 2
If the people within a society do not have a shared unifying story, they will suffer from endemic division and intolerance of the diversity they encounter on a regular basis. Such pervasive and ubiquitous intolerance will lead to distrust and this distrust then precludes their ability to work together. But the ability to work together is our superpower. We have evidence of this going back 70,000 years in humankind’s existence to the Cognitive Revolution. It is how we have been able to achieve the extraordinary things such as the Apollo moon landing on July 20, 1969, or the building of the pyramids at Giza in 2,500 BCE. The Apollo moon landing required the cooperation of 400,000 people employed by 20,000 American corporations and institutions. They needed to work together flexibly in perhaps the most complex, nuanced and sophisticated way and at a scale not seen before in human history. A unifying story was critical to have so many people across so many organizations cooperate so effectively and successfully.
Without these sophisticated networks of cooperation, it is impossible to raise and develop institutions. Furthermore, a developed nation will require an array of such public and private sector institutions targeting a spectrum of disciplines [academic, medical, scientific, technological, industrial, civil society, non-governmental, professional, etc.] It is then the communications, data flow and know-how across this institutional public-private sector matrix [Figure 1] which provides the capacity and potential for the development of and trade in high value-added goods and services in a global economy.
Additionally, if a society does not share a unifying narrative, they have no incentive to submit to taxation. The people will complain that they don’t want their taxes to go to people outside of their group. The in-group won’t want outsiders whom they dislike receiving their taxes and thus improving their living conditions at the in-group’s expense. Thus, the fiscal capture issue will remain endemic – as it has in Pakistan for the past eight decades – thus starving the State of the resources required to engage in institution building and virtually every other function of State.
In conclusion, we can see from this analysis that the current debate in Pakistan between those supporting the recent Prime Minister versus those opposed to him are really quite irrelevant to the future of this wonderful nation. Neither he nor the present Prime Minister nor any leader over the past eight decades has been able to unify the people by reshaping the narrative in a manner that finally resolves the multitude of fissures within society [the essential pathology ailing the nation], thus addressing the two critical dilemmas, as outlined in this essay.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence and its implications for society. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
December 8, 2022
From Fire to AI | Evolution & Revolution in Human Intelligence
From Fire to AI | Evolution & Revolution in Human Intelligence
Vicar Sayeedi
December 8, 2022
Following the appearance of our earliest known ancestors on Earth about seven million years ago, Hominin intelligence has passed through two major stages of development. Nearly two million years ago, our intelligence was first impacted by our adaptation of fire. Then, about 70,000 years ago, Sapiens underwent a Cognitive Revolution, most likely a genetic mutation which bestowed upon us the extraordinary and unprecedented attribute that enables us to cooperate with one another flexibly and at very-large-scale. But today, we now stand on the precipice of the third and perhaps final stage of unprecedented intellectual advancement – humankind’s intelligence is nearly ready to be augmented by Artificial Intelligence on the altar of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Archaeologists and others in the scientific community estimate that Homo Erectus, an early hominin species, first learned to control fire approximately 1.5M to 2M years ago. These archaic humans acquired the ability to start and control fires and they then used this ability to illuminate the inside of caves where they may have sheltered from cold weather or storms for extended periods of time. They may also have used fire to ward off dangerous predators since these early hominins were in fact quite vulnerable to the strength and hunting prowess of other species of terrestrial megafauna – the other large land animals over 100 lbs. But the most profound use of fire by early hominins was for cooking – they learned to prepare their meals over fire and in so doing they unwittingly changed the biochemistry of the things they ate. In terms of energy and time, cooked food is much less costly to digest since the calories required for the digestive process is dramatically reduced.
Today, the species of great apes genetically closest to humans are the chimpanzees and bonobos – we share ~98% of our human genome with them. However, Sapiens remain the only species in the Animal Kingdom who cook their food and it has had a revolutionary impact on our intelligence. When observing chimpanzees in their native environment, they can often seem overweight – their abdomens appear distended and thus we might be misled into thinking they are carrying a considerable amount of fat. In fact, chimpanzees have only ~10% body fat – the distended abdomen is actually the result of a large and extensive gastrointestinal tract that is required to digest the raw food they consume.
Sapiens, by comparison, have a much shorter gastrointestinal tract since we cook food, and this enables us to digest and absorb nutrients very quickly whilst simultaneously expending relatively little energy. Over millions of years, this abundance of excess energy has led to the evolution of the human brain – we have developed much larger brains than all other species and our brains have a remarkable processing capacity that is currently enabled by ~85 billion neurons. This has resulted in a much higher level of hominin intelligence vis a vis all other species in the Animal Kingdom.
But the human brain at rest consumes ~23% of our ingested calories and as such it’s a very expensive organ to operate whence compared to the brain of a chimpanzee – at rest, bonobo or chimp brains consume just 6% of ingested calories. Further, the high operating cost of the human brain does seem to affect our ability and perhaps psychological willingness to engage in activities that require rational thought – such as critical thinking or reading – since doing so demands further significant caloric consumption.
This phenomenon can be observed in the United States where despite having the largest and highest quality university system in the world, only ~35% of Americans are willing to submit themselves to earn a university degree [the rate is very similar in Western Europe despite financial barriers being considerably lower there than in the US]. Thus, America’s companies and other institutions that need educated workers turn to immigrants from around the world to address the local deficit in university educated workers.
Perhaps the large caloric demand required when engaging the prefrontal cortex in rational activity – a non-negotiable requirement in university programs – without the desirable benefit of releasing pleasure hormones including dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin and serotonin [that occurs when dining out with friends, playing or watching sports, shopping for new clothes, perfumes or shoes, watching action films or romantic films or other similarly enjoyable activities] prevents many young adults from pursuing university degrees.
But as we develop Artificial Intelligence and then use it to augment human intelligence through neural implants that enable us to rapidly engage with the Internet and other sources of knowledge, learning and knowledge acquisition will become much less expensive vis a vis the expenditure of calories. Then, it may become possible for a much larger percentage of the population in Developed Nations to acquire university education from the extensive university network [cultural barriers not withstanding]. This could dramatically curtail the demand for educated foreign workers.
This outcome can of course lead to speciation – the bifurcation of humankind into new hominin species with some now having superior intellectual capacity augmented by AI alongside those who lack access to this facility. Those around the world lacking access will be like the inferior hominins of the past – such as the Denisovans and Neanderthalensis – that were at least in part made extinct due to their inability to intellectually compete with Sapiens.
Perhaps this ancient history of some forty thousand years ago will repeat itself in the not-too-distant future – individuals in rich societies with access to knowledge and intellect enhancing AI from the 4th Industrial Revolution will cause individuals in Developing Nations to potentially face extinction.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Lecture – East West University
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
Episode 97 – https://youtu.be/7bFVkUWBvc8
From Fire to AI | The Evolution of Human Intelligence
Vicar Sayeedi
December 8, 2022
Following the appearance of our earliest known ancestors on Earth about seven million years ago, Hominin intelligence has passed through two major stages of development. Nearly two million years ago, our intelligence was first impacted by our adaptation of fire. Then, about 70,000 years ago, Sapiens underwent a Cognitive Revolution, most likely a genetic mutation which bestowed upon us the extraordinary and unprecedented attribute that enables us to cooperate with one another flexibly and at very-large-scale. But today, we now stand on the precipice of the third and perhaps final stage of unprecedented intellectual advancement – humankind’s intelligence is nearly ready to be augmented by Artificial Intelligence on the altar of the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Archaeologists and others in the scientific community estimate that Homo Erectus, an early hominin species, first learned to control fire approximately 1.5M to 2M years ago. These archaic humans acquired the ability to start and control fires and they then used this ability to illuminate the inside of caves where they may have sheltered from cold weather or storms for extended periods of time. They may also have used fire to ward off dangerous predators since these early hominins were in fact quite vulnerable to the strength and hunting prowess of other species of terrestrial megafauna – the other large land animals over 100 lbs. But the most profound use of fire by early hominins was for cooking – they learned to prepare their meals over fire and in so doing they unwittingly changed the biochemistry of the things they ate. In terms of energy and time, cooked food is much less costly to digest since the calories required for the digestive process is dramatically reduced.
Today, the species of great apes genetically closest to humans are the chimpanzees and bonobos – we share ~98% of our human genome with them. However, Sapiens remain the only species in the Animal Kingdom who cook their food and it has had a revolutionary impact on our intelligence. When observing chimpanzees in their native environment, they can often seem overweight – their abdomens appear distended and thus we might be misled into thinking they are carrying a considerable amount of fat. In fact, chimpanzees have only ~10% body fat – the distended abdomen is actually the result of a large and extensive gastrointestinal tract that is required to digest the raw food they consume.
Sapiens, by comparison, have a much shorter gastrointestinal tract since we cook food, and this enables us to digest and absorb nutrients very quickly whilst simultaneously expending relatively little energy. Over millions of years, this abundance of excess energy has led to the evolution of the human brain – we have developed much larger brains than all other species and our brains have a remarkable processing capacity that is currently enabled by ~85 billion neurons. This has resulted in a much higher level of hominin intelligence vis a vis all other species in the Animal Kingdom.
But the human brain at rest consumes ~23% of our ingested calories and as such it’s a very expensive organ to operate whence compared to the brain of a chimpanzee – at rest, bonobo or chimp brains consume just 6% of ingested calories. Further, the high operating cost of the human brain does seem to affect our ability and perhaps psychological willingness to engage in activities that require rational thought – such as critical thinking or reading – since doing so demands further significant caloric consumption.
This phenomenon can be observed in the United States where despite having the largest and highest quality university system in the world, only ~35% of Americans are willing to submit themselves to earn a university degree [the rate is very similar in Western Europe despite financial barriers being considerably lower there than in the US]. Thus, America’s companies and other institutions that need educated workers turn to immigrants from around the world to address the local deficit in university educated workers.
Perhaps the large caloric demand required when engaging the prefrontal cortex in rational activity – a non-negotiable requirement in university programs – without the desirable benefit of releasing pleasure hormones including dopamine, endorphins, oxytocin and serotonin [that occurs when dining out with friends, playing or watching sports, shopping for new clothes, perfumes or shoes, watching action films or romantic films or other similarly enjoyable activities] prevents many young adults from pursuing university degrees.
But as we develop Artificial Intelligence and then use it to augment human intelligence through neural implants that enable us to rapidly engage with the Internet and other sources of knowledge, learning and knowledge acquisition will become much less expensive vis a vis the expenditure of calories. Then, it may become possible for a much larger percentage of the population in Developed Nations to acquire university education from the extensive university network [cultural barriers not withstanding]. This could dramatically curtail the demand for educated foreign workers.
This outcome can of course lead to speciation – the bifurcation of humankind into new hominin species with some now having superior intellectual capacity augmented by AI alongside those who lack access to this facility. Those around the world lacking access will be like the inferior hominins of the past – such as the Denisovans and Neanderthalensis – that were at least in part made extinct due to their inability to intellectually compete with Sapiens.
Perhaps this ancient history of some forty thousand years ago will repeat itself in the not-too-distant future – individuals in rich societies with access to knowledge and intellect enhancing AI from the 4th Industrial Revolution will cause individuals in Developing Nations to potentially face extinction.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Lecture – East West University
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
Episode 97 – https://youtu.be/7bFVkUWBvc8
From Fire to AI | The Evolution of Human Intelligence
October 19, 2022
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
Vicar Sayeedi
October 18, 2022
Introduction
What is Artificial Intelligence and why is it so important that we understand its potential?
In the coming years and decades, AI can be expected to impact virtually every aspect of our lives. From the economy to the labor market and workplace, to government and international relations, to world affairs and military conflict, it seems no area of human endeavor will be spared. So, given this reality perhaps it’s best we have at least a working understanding of AI and how it might shape our future.
AI is the most profound change to human intelligence since the Cognitive Revolution. About 70,000 years ago, a genetic mutation or something along these lines took place in our species, Homo Sapiens. This episode is known as the Cognitive Revolution. Humankind went quite suddenly from somewhere in the middle of the food chain straight to the very top. Thereafter, wherever humans arrived, the archaeological evidence unequivocally reveals a dramatic reduction and in countless cases, extinction of terrestrial megafauna. Terrestrial megafauna are the large land animals over 100 lbs. Despite our much smaller size and slower speed relative to the animals we were hunting, we had learned to cooperate as a species in a very flexible manner and at considerable scale.
Then, a few hundred years ago during the first Industrial Revolution, for the first time, humankind overcame its systemic limitations on physical strength through the invention of the steam engine and mechanization which brought us internal combustion engines and transportation. The 2nd Industrial Revolution brought us electricity, light and communications by way of the telegraph and telephone. The 3rd Industrial Revolution brought advanced, high-speed computing to the desktop of every individual and the 4th Industrial Revolution is now bringing us Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Computing [Quantum and Supercomputing], Data Science, Gene Editing and Genomics.
The confluence of these 4th Industrial Revolution sciences and technologies – with AI at the helm – presents tremendously exciting but also sobering new realities that we must now learn to control and manage. Because without any doubt, AI and its related disruptive technologies have emerged as an existential threat to humankind. We may no longer need to depend exclusively on evolution and its extraordinarily slow pace for improvement in our species. Rather, we are entering a world of intelligent design wherein some of us here may well be the designers. This is a profound realization and it’s enabled by the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Now the term Artificial Intelligence means different things to different people. To most, AI is simply the ability to simulate human intelligence in a machine. Implicitly, this refers to the quantitative dimension of human intelligence, the ability some people possess that enables them to think and manage complex ideas and problems that may have a substantial computational dimension. But scholars of human intelligence believe that quantitative intelligence is just one form or dimension of human intelligence. There are a number of other discrete dimensions, and this raises important questions. Most of the Narrow or Specialized AI Agents we’ve developed today are highly quantitative or pattern matching in their ability. But humans have perhaps eight or even more different dimensions of intelligence. So, what happens if we develop AI Agents that simulate only this one dimension of human intelligence, the quantitative dimension?
Historically, society has considered people to be intelligent if they innately possess skills or demonstrate an ability to acquire intelligences or skills that can readily be monetized. As society evolves, the intelligences and talents they value evolve, as well. People who do not possess the intelligences or skills that are easily monetized in the age in which they live are viewed in a dim light and are often considered as inferior members of society. Such stratification of society can leave these people in a very disadvantaged position.
But these people often possess other intelligences and skills, skills that while not as easily monetized, do provide great value to society. These intelligences often enable them to build hand-made furniture or musical instruments, to write literature, musical compositions or poetry, to paint frescoes, portraits or landscapes, to chisel stone or wood to form beautiful sculpture, to develop and perform various levels and methods of pedagogy, to coach young people and so many other activities that enrich human culture and life.
Furthermore, some amongst us are strongly left-brained, others strongly right-brained while some humans are blessed with strong aspects of both. Some amongst us are highly rational and have little room for impulse or emotion whilst others have a high degree of emotional intelligence. In some circumstances, the highly rational person is the one needed to lead an organization or society, but in other circumstances, leadership underpinned by emotional intelligence will result in the most desirable outcome.
Human intelligence then is highly complex and nuanced. So, when we speak of Artificial Intelligence, we now realize we need to be very clear what we are really talking about. When we reference AI, are we speaking purely of the quantitative and pattern recognition dimension of human intelligence that AI companies are working to replicate or are we speaking more broadly about the richly complex and nuanced tapestry of human intelligence?
What does it mean to be working towards Artificial General Intelligence or Artificial Super Intelligence if we are focused only on the quantitative dimension given that even the Narrow or Specialized AI Agents available today are wreaking havoc on society through their deployment and presence in e-Commerce, Finance, Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems and Social Media?
We must also wonder whether the General AI or Super AI Agents of the future might develop a form of consciousness specific to their own reality and whether this variant of machine sentience will conflict with human sentience. What might this mean with regards to their ability to coexist alongside humankind given that they will be exponentially more intelligent than Homo Sapiens? This is increasingly worrisome since most AI Thought Leaders believe we will achieve Artificial General Intelligence within a few decades and because there are no principles of biology or chemistry nor any laws of mathematics or physics that preclude the development of consciousness in AI.
Conversely, AI can attain super intelligence whilst remaining a-sentient and therefore agnostic to human ethics and morality. This raises the specter of many challenging problems. In summary, we need to spend more energy and effort within the Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience and related interdisciplinary community researching and addressing the issue of sentience alongside our work in the understanding and development of synthetic intelligence. We are going to need to give much more proactive attention to these fascinating yet powerful and dangerous sciences and technologies within our government bureaucracy.
As a science, Artificial Intelligence endeavors to understand the organic human mind and its ability for intelligence or problem solving with an end goal of simulating this intelligence in silicon and machine. We are making tremendous progress in this area, particularly in the last ten years or so. For the first time humankind can now overcome the limitations resulting from our own intellectual capacity to solve problems. We have amassed an impressive ability to aggregate enormous volumes of digital data along with our capacity to design and build faster and faster computer processors that can process this data. We have also dramatically enhanced our understanding of neuroscience as it relates to Deep Learning Neural Networks, and we have translated this understanding into very high performance and effective machine learning strategies. But at the same time, it’s important to point out that our collective understanding of consciousness or sentience remains opaque at best.
The evolution of sentience – how, why, and the purpose of human consciousness – persists as one of the greatest unanswered questions in neuroscience. The scientific community believes consciousness has arisen through biological evolution and has been enhanced further through cultural evolution. But that understanding of our consciousness, that understanding of ourselves and of our physical and social environment, and our understanding of the future, remains mysterious. This ability to dream, to imagine, to plan and strategize seem largely unique to our species, particularly our foresight.
There have been more than 20,000 papers written on consciousness from diverse perspectives including Neuroscience, Philosophy, Psychology and Theology. However, despite so much study and reflection on this issue, we are still unable to offer a suitable and universally acceptable definition of consciousness or an understanding of how the brain works in this regard. Although we cannot provide an understanding of consciousness or sentience, there is universal acceptance that consciousness resides in the brain. An empirically sound theory of consciousness unfortunately does not yet exist, but neuroscientists believe we’re getting closer. This understanding will be crucial if we are to safely coexist with Artificial General Intelligence and then later with Artificial Super Intelligence.
Protein Folding
Over the past five years, rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence have been applied to solve many interesting, real-world problems. From applications in education and healthcare, to radiology and social media, to natural language processing and speech synthesis, to lethal autonomous weapons systems, weather prediction and robotic surgery, and so much more, AI is accelerating progress across countless disciplines to a very impressive degree. But there is a consensus coalescing within the AI Thought Leader Community that recent advances in the application of AI in the complex and esoteric field of Structural Biology, specifically in the area of Protein Folding, may be AI’s greatest achievement to date. Protein Folding refers to the three-dimensional shape assumed by a protein before it begins life as a nanomachine in the human body. We’ll come back to this in just a minute.
DeepMind, a London firm acquired by Google in 2014, is perhaps the world’s preeminent AI company. On November 30, 2020, the firm published an article in the journal, ‘Nature’ confirming that they’d solved the previously insurmountable 50-year-old Protein Folding problem using a proprietary Deep Learning AI Agent known as AlphaFold. It was a shocking development that upended the world of Structural Biology and far beyond. The implications of the publication were unprecedented, and they continue to reverberate across many disciplines today.
For the past fifty years, scientists have endlessly toiled over the Protein Folding problem in a never-ending struggle to understand the three-dimensional structure of protein nanomachines. It has been the grand challenge in Biology. In order to understand the final structure of proteins, scientists needed to make the protein production factory in our bodies, the ribosome, express a sufficient quantity of a particular protein and then harness them before cajoling them to crystalize. This proved to be extremely challenging. If they succeeded in crystalizing a sufficient volume of these folded proteins, they could then use Xray Crystallography to better see and understand the folded structure. But it was common for this process to take years and sometimes even longer. In fact, many scientists have spent their entire careers and lives attempting to find the folded structures of various proteins. It would be far better if we could simply predict the three-dimensional Protein Folding structure by simply examining the string of amino acids involved.
At this point, most guests will undoubtedly be wondering why the three-dimensional shapes of these proteins are so important. Before we answer this question, let’s spend just a minute to shape our understanding of what proteins are, how they’re made and what they do inside our bodies. Ribosomes are factories within our cells where twenty distinct amino acids are produced. Strings of these amino acids are linked together in unique ways to form proteins and then within a few milliseconds, physics intervenes to direct the final three-dimensional shape of the newly formed protein. There are twenty thousand distinct proteins in our bodies and each one folds into a distinct shape and thus has a different function. [Thus far, in nature we have identified approximately 100 million proteins.] These proteins can fold into 10 to the power 300 distinct three-dimensional structures [for reference, there are ten to the power eighty atoms in the known universe] and so, for all intents and purposes, this represents an infinite number of potential folded structures. Once folded, these proteins perform mechanical and chemical functions within cells throughout our bodies. Common proteins include hemoglobin which transports oxygen within red blood cells and insulin which metabolizes glucose.
In pharmacology, the three-dimensional folding pattern of a protein is crucial information. Once pharmaceutical scientists understand the folding pattern of a protein, they can design a chemical compound that can optimally bind itself to the protein in question in a very specific manner. This process, in effect, alters the protein’s function or disables it, thus preventing or intervening in potential pathology. So, we can see that rapidly understanding the pattern of Protein Folding is crucial in developing new prophylaxes and therapies. This is a revolutionary advancement that is expected to dramatically reduce the time required for the development of new drugs.
AlphaFold’s ability to accurately and rapidly predict Protein Folding structures is now improving our understanding of how to break down the plastics polluting our oceans, as well. These plastics are currently being deposited in our oceans at the rate of 10 million metric tons per year and with time they break into ever smaller parts due to sun and water erosion. They eventually turn into microplastics that are then ingested by marine life. Through this process, microplastics enter the food chain and so they are eventually consumed by humans. This of course can have impacts on human health that are not yet understood. AlphaFold’s ability to understand the three-dimensional shape of enzymes that are effective in breaking down plastics into their basic chemical components promises to have a great impact before these plastics can do further damage to marine ecosystems and eventually human life.
Antibiotics
Another fascinating application of Artificial Intelligence in recent years has been in the research and development of antibiotics. In February of 2020, just as news of the Coronavirus Pandemic began spreading across the globe, MIT researchers identified a powerful new antibiotic compound. In laboratory tests, the new drug killed many of the world’s most concerning disease-inducing bacteria, including some strains of pathogens that are resistant to all known antibiotics. MIT’s AI-based computer model can screen more than a hundred million chemical compounds in just a few days. It’s been designed to pick out potential antibiotics that kill bacteria using mechanisms than are different from those of existing antibiotics.
Using this new AI-enabled platform, MIT scientists discovered a molecule called Halicin [a reference to the book, 2001 A Space Odyssey] which is very likely one of the more powerful antibiotics ever discovered. During the study, researchers also identified several additional hopeful antibiotic candidates, and these are now being studied and tested, as well. The MIT team seems convinced that their AI model may also be used to design new drugs, based on what it has learned about chemical structures that enable drugs to kill various pathogens.
As some of you may be aware, over the past few decades, very few new antibiotics have been developed, and most of those newly approved antibiotics are just slightly different variants of existing drugs. Additionally, current methods for screening new antibiotics are often far too costly – they require a large investment in capital and time and are usually limited to a narrow spectrum of chemical diversity. The Medical Community and patients are facing a steadily escalating crisis vis a vis antibiotic resistance in the patient population, and this situation is being further aggravated by both an increasing number of pathogens becoming resistant to existing antibiotics, and a diminishing pipeline in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries for new antibiotics.
The potential for new and faster antibiotics and general drug discovery is very exciting but at the same time it’s also quite concerning – in the hands of nefarious actors, such powerful science and technology could also be repurposed to rapidly develop highly contagious and deadly pathogens with no known disruptors. These pathogens could then be surreptitiously introduced into large unsuspecting populations. Such bioterrorism is a dangerous and unfortunate byproduct of an otherwise critically valuable 4th Industrial Revolution capability that can improve the quality of life for people everywhere.
Nuclear Fusion & Climate Change
Now let’s turn our attention to Climate Change. Just one year ago in November 2021, as the COP26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow drew to a close, there was a tremendous sense of foreboding in the air. Despite the efforts of some to portray a positive image of the outcomes from the conference, there was an unmistakable feeling of disappointment. Considering the volume of mounting and unassailable evidence confirming that Climate Scientists had correctly predicted that the planet was heating at an unsustainable rate, the delegates from the world’s major fossil fuel producing and consuming nations were still unable to deliver on the commitments necessary to prevent further calamitous damage. Significant progress had been made – of this there can be no doubt – but given the irrefutable existential nature of the challenge, the conference outcomes were nothing short of alarming.
In fact, global carbon emissions in 2021 reached record levels with coal consumption increasing by more than 9% versus 2020. New coal powered plants are also being brought online in China and India at an alarming rate. But unfortunately, if we are to achieve the agreed temperature targets of 1.5 degrees Celsius warming by 2050, emissions would need to decline by 7.6% every year until 2030. In the past, humankind has faced other existential threats and has been able to rise to the occasion – we have been able to find a way to work together to successfully contain serious threats. But in the case of Climate Change and the COP26 conference, the outcome was a dramatic disappointment which brought Alok Sharma, the conference host to tears.
As the threat of Climate Change increases with each passing day, scientists have proposed a multitude of potential solutions for clean energy production including solar and wind technologies. These technologies are available today and are gradually improving and maturing but they are not yet at a point where they can come close to fulfilling global energy demands or cost effectiveness currently being met by coal, gas and oil. New, clean technologies for manufacturing, agriculture and transportation – the other three key areas other than energy that are contributing to the warming of the planet – are rapidly becoming available, as well, but despite these efforts, humankind is falling considerably short.
From a long-term perspective, we are not aware of any energy solution that is more hopeful than that of thermonuclear fusion – it remains the ultimate source of energy for humankind’s seemingly inexhaustible needs. Although the idea of replicating thermonuclear fusion on Earth in a manner that can be commercialized has been studied for decades, success has remained elusive. Although the science is widely accepted, the technical challenges have presented a formidable barrier for half a century.
Nuclear fusion does occur in nature – the Sun and other stars in our universe are the most prominent examples. Our Sun, which is composed of ~75% Hydrogen gas and ~25% Helium gas, utilizes the intense heat of ~12 million degrees at its core to render Hydrogen gas into plasma. Once in this superheated and compressed form, electrons are unable to remain in the Hydrogen atom’s orbit and so Hydrogen atoms are then able to fuse together to form Helium atoms. The mass remaining from the transition of Hydrogen into Helium is converted into energy vis a vis Einstein’s equation of mass-energy equivalence, E=mc2. This process of fusion produces immense clean energy with no dangerous byproduct.
Today, we replicate this process of fusion on Earth by heating Hydrogen isotopes to a temperature of 200 million to 250 million degrees Centigrade – about twenty times hotter than the core of the Sun – turning Deuterium [heavy Hydrogen] and Tritium [very heavy Hydrogen] into a plasma. Throughout the process, physicists use a technology known as Tokamak to contain the fusion reaction. As a result of the intense temperature of the Hydrogen plasma, it must be contained without coming into contact with its surroundings. The Tokamak, a donut shaped device produces a circular magnetic field and surrounds the plasma thus keeping it suspended in the air. If there is contact, the fusion reaction will cease but there will be no danger or undesirable byproducts.
But in this compressed and superheated state, Hydrogen plasma continuously changes shape into unpredictable forms. In small fusion reactions scientists have found ways to manage the morphing of ionized plasma, but once we start building industrial scale fusion reactors that can produce the volume and consistent supply of fusion energy required by the commercial and residential needs of modern society, we need to ensure that Tokamaks are secure in order to remain operational. So, we will need to find some way to predict the virtually infinite number of shapes that the plasma can take. Then we can shift the Tokamak’s plasma encompassing magnetic field before the plasma renders its new shape. In this way, we can prevent the plasma from interacting with any matter since that interaction would result in an immediate termination of the fusion cycle.
Amongst the foremost companies in the Artificial Intelligence industry today, Google’s DeepMind has developed an Artificial Intelligence Agent that can use Deep Learning to predict with a high degree of accuracy the morphing and likely movements of the plasma and adjust the series of coils in the Tokamak that produce the magnetic field which is used to contain it. This will ensure that the fusion reaction continues much like the workings of our Sun and other stars.
It may still take time – perhaps several decades – before we have the capability to use Hydrogen fusion contained within the magnetic fields of a Tokamak and managed with Artificial Intelligence to produce the quantities of energy that can meet the world’s needs, but the proof of concept has been achieved. In the end, we are left with the difficult question that emerged in November 2021 following the closing of the Glasgow Climate Conference – will we be too late to prevent the worst outcomes of Climate Change that now seems to be the path we are on, or will we come to our senses and manage with interim solutions until thermonuclear energy is available and thus contain the worst effects of this most existential of crises? Time will tell.
Risks
So now we have some understanding of just how impactful and powerful Artificial Intelligence is and its potential to benefit humankind. We come to realize that AI is in fact a superior proxy for human intelligence. But given its power, there are also significant risks. When it comes to any technology, particularly one as powerful as AI, there are of course, a number of significant concerns we need to be aware of. These include AI’s implications for governance and transparency vis a vis Digital Authoritarianism or Datocracy.
Science and technology, once integrated into governance, offer free societies the potential to dramatically improve the quality of that governance. For example, surveillance systems and technology enabled by Artificial Intelligence can monitor the actions and behavior of officials across the public and private sector. Then, all the men and women seated in positions of authority, influence and power and thus charged with the public trust and administration of public finances can be kept in check. This offers society unprecedented transparency – the misdeeds of officials can quickly be exposed, and they can be held accountable based upon irrefutable evidence.
Unfortunately, the very same suite of advanced 4th Industrial Revolution capabilities can further strengthen the hands of Authoritarian regimes. Digital Authoritarianism – or Datocracy – the comprehensive surveillance of a society enabled by gathering their digital and physical data – will, for the very first time in history, facilitate an environment of domestic totalitarianism as well as hegemony over other external polities, both near and far. Just imagine how much control and influence an Authoritarian regime enabled by Datocracy can have over people in power throughout the world just by threatening to expose their adolescent improprieties and indiscretions or other more egregious misbehavior from their more recent personal and professional lives.
But the risks to liberal democracies from these very same technologies are growing at an alarming rate as the sociopolitical and socioeconomic implications of AI continue to proliferate in the public and private sectors. Two years ago, labor economists in Germany forecast that by the end of this decade, 800M jobs around the world would be adversely affected by Artificial Intelligence and many of the impacted workers are residents of the Developed World.
These liberal democracies comprise a constellation of nations situated at the apex of civilization – they are advanced, peaceful and prosperous. They have the world’s best academic, medical, scientific and technological institutions and industrial organizations. They also have the best civil societies and non-governmental organizations, arts & humanities, literary and sporting societies and so much more. Above all, these nations are characterized by their observance of the rule of law for ordinary citizens as well as for their leaders and finally, they’re known for their world-class economies, a commercial culture and environment that have provided the highest standard of living anywhere in the world since the end of World War II.
But as embodied Artificial Intelligence relentlessly permeates highly automated factories with state-of-the-art robotics thus eliminating the jobs these workers have always known, jobs that gave them dignity, ordinary people increasingly find themselves with few options other than to scrape out a living toiling in Amazon distribution warehouses where their bathroom breaks are humiliatingly timed, or other insecure and poorly paid positions in the hospitality sector. The implications for those working in jobs in accounting, finance, healthcare or even software engineering are also facing implacable competition from disembodied AI-enabled software systems that can process data and perform tasks one million times faster than the brightest of our species. This impending future strips too many ordinary people of their honor and dignity and it substantially squelches their motivation to actively participate in the democratic process. Eventually, their belief in the superiority of liberal democracies vis a vis Authoritarianism will wane. In their own experience, the empirical evidence for the superiority of democracy is no longer compelling. And of course, we know all too well that this will dangerously undermine the future of a liberal democratic order everywhere.
As a consequence, many ordinary citizens are likely to fall victim to misinformation, or worse, disinformation and other corrosive, irresponsible rhetoric as it insidiously and unavoidably spreads across social media. These are ideas and notions that have no basis in fact but are nevertheless curated by AI-enabled social media with a goal of maximally stimulating the human Limbic system and the emotions and impulses that reside therein. Consider for example, Cambridge Analytica. This is how social media companies optimize engagement – they shoulder little responsibility for the integrity or veracity of the content they unrelentingly present.
This persistent attack on our Mammalian brain makes us angry, frustrated and in some cases, primes us for retribution against one or more demonized minorities and other fictitious enemies. It is a very dangerous environment that provides a fertile and optimal domain for the genesis and cultivation of demagogues.
Secretary of State George Schultz was fond of wearing a tie imprinted with the phrase, ‘democracy is not a spectator sport.’ Historically, workers in the Developed World have been accustomed to living comfortable, hopeful lives and this gave them a strong reason to believe in the superiority of liberal democracy vis a vis other forms of government. The empirical evidence supporting their belief was overwhelming and palpable and so they filled churches and community halls to hear the encouraging rhetoric of candidates and elected officials and to present themselves, when summoned, at the polling booth.
So now, if we are to overcome the aforementioned negative trends and protect democracy for the future of our children and grandchildren, a continuous institutional process resulting in a holistic analysis of the numerous complex and nuanced factors impacting democracy must be debated and the various solutions evaluated. We need to approach the impact of AI in an interdisciplinary and near constant manner since there are too many today who seek to undermine democracy, not because they have superior ideas, ideals or methods of governance but rather because they seek wealth and power for themselves and their nascent and oppressive dynasties.
In closing, the unipolar world order of the past several decades has been beneficial for many but also damaging for some. If we seek to resurrect and sustain that order and repair its deficiencies and to protect it from the abuse of AI and other 4th Industrial Revolution sciences and technologies, we will need to act with the highest possible sense of urgency. Perhaps most importantly, this endeavor will require participation and sacrifice from all quarters.
There is no doubt that our system of liberal democracy is worth improving and protecting – no other ideology in the past 12,000 years since the birth of civilization has ever come close from the perspective of positive outcomes. But sustaining this extraordinary system of governance in an age of staggering scientific and technical challenges will have a price that we must collectively summon the will to pay.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
Vicar Sayeedi
October 18, 2022
Introduction
What is Artificial Intelligence and why is it so important that we understand its potential?
In the coming years and decades, AI can be expected to impact virtually every aspect of our lives. From the economy to the labor market and workplace, to government and international relations, to world affairs and military conflict, it seems no area of human endeavor will be spared. So, given this reality perhaps it’s best we have at least a working understanding of AI and how it might shape our future.
AI is the most profound change to human intelligence since the Cognitive Revolution. About 70,000 years ago, a genetic mutation or something along these lines took place in our species, Homo Sapiens. This episode is known as the Cognitive Revolution. Humankind went quite suddenly from somewhere in the middle of the food chain straight to the very top. Thereafter, wherever humans arrived, the archaeological evidence unequivocally reveals a dramatic reduction and in countless cases, extinction of terrestrial megafauna. Terrestrial megafauna are the large land animals over 100 lbs. Despite our much smaller size and slower speed relative to the animals we were hunting, we had learned to cooperate as a species in a very flexible manner and at considerable scale.
Then, a few hundred years ago during the first Industrial Revolution, for the first time, humankind overcame its systemic limitations on physical strength through the invention of the steam engine and mechanization which brought us internal combustion engines and transportation. The 2nd Industrial Revolution brought us electricity, light and communications by way of the telegraph and telephone. The 3rd Industrial Revolution brought advanced, high-speed computing to the desktop of every individual and the 4th Industrial Revolution is now bringing us Artificial Intelligence, Biotechnology, Computing [Quantum and Supercomputing], Data Science, Gene Editing and Genomics.
The confluence of these 4th Industrial Revolution sciences and technologies – with AI at the helm – presents tremendously exciting but also sobering new realities that we must now learn to control and manage. Because without any doubt, AI and its related disruptive technologies have emerged as an existential threat to humankind. We may no longer need to depend exclusively on evolution and its extraordinarily slow pace for improvement in our species. Rather, we are entering a world of intelligent design wherein some of us here may well be the designers. This is a profound realization and it’s enabled by the 4th Industrial Revolution.
Now the term Artificial Intelligence means different things to different people. To most, AI is simply the ability to simulate human intelligence in a machine. Implicitly, this refers to the quantitative dimension of human intelligence, the ability some people possess that enables them to think and manage complex ideas and problems that may have a substantial computational dimension. But scholars of human intelligence believe that quantitative intelligence is just one form or dimension of human intelligence. There are a number of other discrete dimensions, and this raises important questions. Most of the Narrow or Specialized AI Agents we’ve developed today are highly quantitative or pattern matching in their ability. But humans have perhaps eight or even more different dimensions of intelligence. So, what happens if we develop AI Agents that simulate only this one dimension of human intelligence, the quantitative dimension?
Historically, society has considered people to be intelligent if they innately possess skills or demonstrate an ability to acquire intelligences or skills that can readily be monetized. As society evolves, the intelligences and talents they value evolve, as well. People who do not possess the intelligences or skills that are easily monetized in the age in which they live are viewed in a dim light and are often considered as inferior members of society. Such stratification of society can leave these people in a very disadvantaged position.
But these people often possess other intelligences and skills, skills that while not as easily monetized, do provide great value to society. These intelligences often enable them to build hand-made furniture or musical instruments, to write literature, musical compositions or poetry, to paint frescoes, portraits or landscapes, to chisel stone or wood to form beautiful sculpture, to develop and perform various levels and methods of pedagogy, to coach young people and so many other activities that enrich human culture and life.
Furthermore, some amongst us are strongly left-brained, others strongly right-brained while some humans are blessed with strong aspects of both. Some amongst us are highly rational and have little room for impulse or emotion whilst others have a high degree of emotional intelligence. In some circumstances, the highly rational person is the one needed to lead an organization or society, but in other circumstances, leadership underpinned by emotional intelligence will result in the most desirable outcome.
Human intelligence then is highly complex and nuanced. So, when we speak of Artificial Intelligence, we now realize we need to be very clear what we are really talking about. When we reference AI, are we speaking purely of the quantitative and pattern recognition dimension of human intelligence that AI companies are working to replicate or are we speaking more broadly about the richly complex and nuanced tapestry of human intelligence?
What does it mean to be working towards Artificial General Intelligence or Artificial Super Intelligence if we are focused only on the quantitative dimension given that even the Narrow or Specialized AI Agents available today are wreaking havoc on society through their deployment and presence in e-Commerce, Finance, Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems and Social Media?
We must also wonder whether the General AI or Super AI Agents of the future might develop a form of consciousness specific to their own reality and whether this variant of machine sentience will conflict with human sentience. What might this mean with regards to their ability to coexist alongside humankind given that they will be exponentially more intelligent than Homo Sapiens? This is increasingly worrisome since most AI Thought Leaders believe we will achieve Artificial General Intelligence within a few decades and because there are no principles of biology or chemistry nor any laws of mathematics or physics that preclude the development of consciousness in AI.
Conversely, AI can attain super intelligence whilst remaining a-sentient and therefore agnostic to human ethics and morality. This raises the specter of many challenging problems. In summary, we need to spend more energy and effort within the Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience and related interdisciplinary community researching and addressing the issue of sentience alongside our work in the understanding and development of synthetic intelligence. We are going to need to give much more proactive attention to these fascinating yet powerful and dangerous sciences and technologies within our government bureaucracy.
As a science, Artificial Intelligence endeavors to understand the organic human mind and its ability for intelligence or problem solving with an end goal of simulating this intelligence in silicon and machine. We are making tremendous progress in this area, particularly in the last ten years or so. For the first time humankind can now overcome the limitations resulting from our own intellectual capacity to solve problems. We have amassed an impressive ability to aggregate enormous volumes of digital data along with our capacity to design and build faster and faster computer processors that can process this data. We have also dramatically enhanced our understanding of neuroscience as it relates to Deep Learning Neural Networks, and we have translated this understanding into very high performance and effective machine learning strategies. But at the same time, it’s important to point out that our collective understanding of consciousness or sentience remains opaque at best.
The evolution of sentience – how, why, and the purpose of human consciousness – persists as one of the greatest unanswered questions in neuroscience. The scientific community believes consciousness has arisen through biological evolution and has been enhanced further through cultural evolution. But that understanding of our consciousness, that understanding of ourselves and of our physical and social environment, and our understanding of the future, remains mysterious. This ability to dream, to imagine, to plan and strategize seem largely unique to our species, particularly our foresight.
There have been more than 20,000 papers written on consciousness from diverse perspectives including Neuroscience, Philosophy, Psychology and Theology. However, despite so much study and reflection on this issue, we are still unable to offer a suitable and universally acceptable definition of consciousness or an understanding of how the brain works in this regard. Although we cannot provide an understanding of consciousness or sentience, there is universal acceptance that consciousness resides in the brain. An empirically sound theory of consciousness unfortunately does not yet exist, but neuroscientists believe we’re getting closer. This understanding will be crucial if we are to safely coexist with Artificial General Intelligence and then later with Artificial Super Intelligence.
Protein Folding
Over the past five years, rapid advances in Artificial Intelligence have been applied to solve many interesting, real-world problems. From applications in education and healthcare, to radiology and social media, to natural language processing and speech synthesis, to lethal autonomous weapons systems, weather prediction and robotic surgery, and so much more, AI is accelerating progress across countless disciplines to a very impressive degree. But there is a consensus coalescing within the AI Thought Leader Community that recent advances in the application of AI in the complex and esoteric field of Structural Biology, specifically in the area of Protein Folding, may be AI’s greatest achievement to date. Protein Folding refers to the three-dimensional shape assumed by a protein before it begins life as a nanomachine in the human body. We’ll come back to this in just a minute.
DeepMind, a London firm acquired by Google in 2014, is perhaps the world’s preeminent AI company. On November 30, 2020, the firm published an article in the journal, ‘Nature’ confirming that they’d solved the previously insurmountable 50-year-old Protein Folding problem using a proprietary Deep Learning AI Agent known as AlphaFold. It was a shocking development that upended the world of Structural Biology and far beyond. The implications of the publication were unprecedented, and they continue to reverberate across many disciplines today.
For the past fifty years, scientists have endlessly toiled over the Protein Folding problem in a never-ending struggle to understand the three-dimensional structure of protein nanomachines. It has been the grand challenge in Biology. In order to understand the final structure of proteins, scientists needed to make the protein production factory in our bodies, the ribosome, express a sufficient quantity of a particular protein and then harness them before cajoling them to crystalize. This proved to be extremely challenging. If they succeeded in crystalizing a sufficient volume of these folded proteins, they could then use Xray Crystallography to better see and understand the folded structure. But it was common for this process to take years and sometimes even longer. In fact, many scientists have spent their entire careers and lives attempting to find the folded structures of various proteins. It would be far better if we could simply predict the three-dimensional Protein Folding structure by simply examining the string of amino acids involved.
At this point, most guests will undoubtedly be wondering why the three-dimensional shapes of these proteins are so important. Before we answer this question, let’s spend just a minute to shape our understanding of what proteins are, how they’re made and what they do inside our bodies. Ribosomes are factories within our cells where twenty distinct amino acids are produced. Strings of these amino acids are linked together in unique ways to form proteins and then within a few milliseconds, physics intervenes to direct the final three-dimensional shape of the newly formed protein. There are twenty thousand distinct proteins in our bodies and each one folds into a distinct shape and thus has a different function. [Thus far, in nature we have identified approximately 100 million proteins.] These proteins can fold into 10 to the power 300 distinct three-dimensional structures [for reference, there are ten to the power eighty atoms in the known universe] and so, for all intents and purposes, this represents an infinite number of potential folded structures. Once folded, these proteins perform mechanical and chemical functions within cells throughout our bodies. Common proteins include hemoglobin which transports oxygen within red blood cells and insulin which metabolizes glucose.
In pharmacology, the three-dimensional folding pattern of a protein is crucial information. Once pharmaceutical scientists understand the folding pattern of a protein, they can design a chemical compound that can optimally bind itself to the protein in question in a very specific manner. This process, in effect, alters the protein’s function or disables it, thus preventing or intervening in potential pathology. So, we can see that rapidly understanding the pattern of Protein Folding is crucial in developing new prophylaxes and therapies. This is a revolutionary advancement that is expected to dramatically reduce the time required for the development of new drugs.
AlphaFold’s ability to accurately and rapidly predict Protein Folding structures is now improving our understanding of how to break down the plastics polluting our oceans, as well. These plastics are currently being deposited in our oceans at the rate of 10 million metric tons per year and with time they break into ever smaller parts due to sun and water erosion. They eventually turn into microplastics that are then ingested by marine life. Through this process, microplastics enter the food chain and so they are eventually consumed by humans. This of course can have impacts on human health that are not yet understood. AlphaFold’s ability to understand the three-dimensional shape of enzymes that are effective in breaking down plastics into their basic chemical components promises to have a great impact before these plastics can do further damage to marine ecosystems and eventually human life.
Antibiotics
Another fascinating application of Artificial Intelligence in recent years has been in the research and development of antibiotics. In February of 2020, just as news of the Coronavirus Pandemic began spreading across the globe, MIT researchers identified a powerful new antibiotic compound. In laboratory tests, the new drug killed many of the world’s most concerning disease-inducing bacteria, including some strains of pathogens that are resistant to all known antibiotics. MIT’s AI-based computer model can screen more than a hundred million chemical compounds in just a few days. It’s been designed to pick out potential antibiotics that kill bacteria using mechanisms than are different from those of existing antibiotics.
Using this new AI-enabled platform, MIT scientists discovered a molecule called Halicin [a reference to the book, 2001 A Space Odyssey] which is very likely one of the more powerful antibiotics ever discovered. During the study, researchers also identified several additional hopeful antibiotic candidates, and these are now being studied and tested, as well. The MIT team seems convinced that their AI model may also be used to design new drugs, based on what it has learned about chemical structures that enable drugs to kill various pathogens.
As some of you may be aware, over the past few decades, very few new antibiotics have been developed, and most of those newly approved antibiotics are just slightly different variants of existing drugs. Additionally, current methods for screening new antibiotics are often far too costly – they require a large investment in capital and time and are usually limited to a narrow spectrum of chemical diversity. The Medical Community and patients are facing a steadily escalating crisis vis a vis antibiotic resistance in the patient population, and this situation is being further aggravated by both an increasing number of pathogens becoming resistant to existing antibiotics, and a diminishing pipeline in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries for new antibiotics.
The potential for new and faster antibiotics and general drug discovery is very exciting but at the same time it’s also quite concerning – in the hands of nefarious actors, such powerful science and technology could also be repurposed to rapidly develop highly contagious and deadly pathogens with no known disruptors. These pathogens could then be surreptitiously introduced into large unsuspecting populations. Such bioterrorism is a dangerous and unfortunate byproduct of an otherwise critically valuable 4th Industrial Revolution capability that can improve the quality of life for people everywhere.
Nuclear Fusion & Climate Change
Now let’s turn our attention to Climate Change. Just one year ago in November 2021, as the COP26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow drew to a close, there was a tremendous sense of foreboding in the air. Despite the efforts of some to portray a positive image of the outcomes from the conference, there was an unmistakable feeling of disappointment. Considering the volume of mounting and unassailable evidence confirming that Climate Scientists had correctly predicted that the planet was heating at an unsustainable rate, the delegates from the world’s major fossil fuel producing and consuming nations were still unable to deliver on the commitments necessary to prevent further calamitous damage. Significant progress had been made – of this there can be no doubt – but given the irrefutable existential nature of the challenge, the conference outcomes were nothing short of alarming.
In fact, global carbon emissions in 2021 reached record levels with coal consumption increasing by more than 9% versus 2020. New coal powered plants are also being brought online in China and India at an alarming rate. But unfortunately, if we are to achieve the agreed temperature targets of 1.5 degrees Celsius warming by 2050, emissions would need to decline by 7.6% every year until 2030. In the past, humankind has faced other existential threats and has been able to rise to the occasion – we have been able to find a way to work together to successfully contain serious threats. But in the case of Climate Change and the COP26 conference, the outcome was a dramatic disappointment which brought Alok Sharma, the conference host to tears.
As the threat of Climate Change increases with each passing day, scientists have proposed a multitude of potential solutions for clean energy production including solar and wind technologies. These technologies are available today and are gradually improving and maturing but they are not yet at a point where they can come close to fulfilling global energy demands or cost effectiveness currently being met by coal, gas and oil. New, clean technologies for manufacturing, agriculture and transportation – the other three key areas other than energy that are contributing to the warming of the planet – are rapidly becoming available, as well, but despite these efforts, humankind is falling considerably short.
From a long-term perspective, we are not aware of any energy solution that is more hopeful than that of thermonuclear fusion – it remains the ultimate source of energy for humankind’s seemingly inexhaustible needs. Although the idea of replicating thermonuclear fusion on Earth in a manner that can be commercialized has been studied for decades, success has remained elusive. Although the science is widely accepted, the technical challenges have presented a formidable barrier for half a century.
Nuclear fusion does occur in nature – the Sun and other stars in our universe are the most prominent examples. Our Sun, which is composed of ~75% Hydrogen gas and ~25% Helium gas, utilizes the intense heat of ~12 million degrees at its core to render Hydrogen gas into plasma. Once in this superheated and compressed form, electrons are unable to remain in the Hydrogen atom’s orbit and so Hydrogen atoms are then able to fuse together to form Helium atoms. The mass remaining from the transition of Hydrogen into Helium is converted into energy vis a vis Einstein’s equation of mass-energy equivalence, E=mc2. This process of fusion produces immense clean energy with no dangerous byproduct.
Today, we replicate this process of fusion on Earth by heating Hydrogen isotopes to a temperature of 200 million to 250 million degrees Centigrade – about twenty times hotter than the core of the Sun – turning Deuterium [heavy Hydrogen] and Tritium [very heavy Hydrogen] into a plasma. Throughout the process, physicists use a technology known as Tokamak to contain the fusion reaction. As a result of the intense temperature of the Hydrogen plasma, it must be contained without coming into contact with its surroundings. The Tokamak, a donut shaped device produces a circular magnetic field and surrounds the plasma thus keeping it suspended in the air. If there is contact, the fusion reaction will cease but there will be no danger or undesirable byproducts.
But in this compressed and superheated state, Hydrogen plasma continuously changes shape into unpredictable forms. In small fusion reactions scientists have found ways to manage the morphing of ionized plasma, but once we start building industrial scale fusion reactors that can produce the volume and consistent supply of fusion energy required by the commercial and residential needs of modern society, we need to ensure that Tokamaks are secure in order to remain operational. So, we will need to find some way to predict the virtually infinite number of shapes that the plasma can take. Then we can shift the Tokamak’s plasma encompassing magnetic field before the plasma renders its new shape. In this way, we can prevent the plasma from interacting with any matter since that interaction would result in an immediate termination of the fusion cycle.
Amongst the foremost companies in the Artificial Intelligence industry today, Google’s DeepMind has developed an Artificial Intelligence Agent that can use Deep Learning to predict with a high degree of accuracy the morphing and likely movements of the plasma and adjust the series of coils in the Tokamak that produce the magnetic field which is used to contain it. This will ensure that the fusion reaction continues much like the workings of our Sun and other stars.
It may still take time – perhaps several decades – before we have the capability to use Hydrogen fusion contained within the magnetic fields of a Tokamak and managed with Artificial Intelligence to produce the quantities of energy that can meet the world’s needs, but the proof of concept has been achieved. In the end, we are left with the difficult question that emerged in November 2021 following the closing of the Glasgow Climate Conference – will we be too late to prevent the worst outcomes of Climate Change that now seems to be the path we are on, or will we come to our senses and manage with interim solutions until thermonuclear energy is available and thus contain the worst effects of this most existential of crises? Time will tell.
Risks
So now we have some understanding of just how impactful and powerful Artificial Intelligence is and its potential to benefit humankind. We come to realize that AI is in fact a superior proxy for human intelligence. But given its power, there are also significant risks. When it comes to any technology, particularly one as powerful as AI, there are of course, a number of significant concerns we need to be aware of. These include AI’s implications for governance and transparency vis a vis Digital Authoritarianism or Datocracy.
Science and technology, once integrated into governance, offer free societies the potential to dramatically improve the quality of that governance. For example, surveillance systems and technology enabled by Artificial Intelligence can monitor the actions and behavior of officials across the public and private sector. Then, all the men and women seated in positions of authority, influence and power and thus charged with the public trust and administration of public finances can be kept in check. This offers society unprecedented transparency – the misdeeds of officials can quickly be exposed, and they can be held accountable based upon irrefutable evidence.
Unfortunately, the very same suite of advanced 4th Industrial Revolution capabilities can further strengthen the hands of Authoritarian regimes. Digital Authoritarianism – or Datocracy – the comprehensive surveillance of a society enabled by gathering their digital and physical data – will, for the very first time in history, facilitate an environment of domestic totalitarianism as well as hegemony over other external polities, both near and far. Just imagine how much control and influence an Authoritarian regime enabled by Datocracy can have over people in power throughout the world just by threatening to expose their adolescent improprieties and indiscretions or other more egregious misbehavior from their more recent personal and professional lives.
But the risks to liberal democracies from these very same technologies are growing at an alarming rate as the sociopolitical and socioeconomic implications of AI continue to proliferate in the public and private sectors. Two years ago, labor economists in Germany forecast that by the end of this decade, 800M jobs around the world would be adversely affected by Artificial Intelligence and many of the impacted workers are residents of the Developed World.
These liberal democracies comprise a constellation of nations situated at the apex of civilization – they are advanced, peaceful and prosperous. They have the world’s best academic, medical, scientific and technological institutions and industrial organizations. They also have the best civil societies and non-governmental organizations, arts & humanities, literary and sporting societies and so much more. Above all, these nations are characterized by their observance of the rule of law for ordinary citizens as well as for their leaders and finally, they’re known for their world-class economies, a commercial culture and environment that have provided the highest standard of living anywhere in the world since the end of World War II.
But as embodied Artificial Intelligence relentlessly permeates highly automated factories with state-of-the-art robotics thus eliminating the jobs these workers have always known, jobs that gave them dignity, ordinary people increasingly find themselves with few options other than to scrape out a living toiling in Amazon distribution warehouses where their bathroom breaks are humiliatingly timed, or other insecure and poorly paid positions in the hospitality sector. The implications for those working in jobs in accounting, finance, healthcare or even software engineering are also facing implacable competition from disembodied AI-enabled software systems that can process data and perform tasks one million times faster than the brightest of our species. This impending future strips too many ordinary people of their honor and dignity and it substantially squelches their motivation to actively participate in the democratic process. Eventually, their belief in the superiority of liberal democracies vis a vis Authoritarianism will wane. In their own experience, the empirical evidence for the superiority of democracy is no longer compelling. And of course, we know all too well that this will dangerously undermine the future of a liberal democratic order everywhere.
As a consequence, many ordinary citizens are likely to fall victim to misinformation, or worse, disinformation and other corrosive, irresponsible rhetoric as it insidiously and unavoidably spreads across social media. These are ideas and notions that have no basis in fact but are nevertheless curated by AI-enabled social media with a goal of maximally stimulating the human Limbic system and the emotions and impulses that reside therein. Consider for example, Cambridge Analytica. This is how social media companies optimize engagement – they shoulder little responsibility for the integrity or veracity of the content they unrelentingly present.
This persistent attack on our Mammalian brain makes us angry, frustrated and in some cases, primes us for retribution against one or more demonized minorities and other fictitious enemies. It is a very dangerous environment that provides a fertile and optimal domain for the genesis and cultivation of demagogues.
Secretary of State George Schultz was fond of wearing a tie imprinted with the phrase, ‘democracy is not a spectator sport.’ Historically, workers in the Developed World have been accustomed to living comfortable, hopeful lives and this gave them a strong reason to believe in the superiority of liberal democracy vis a vis other forms of government. The empirical evidence supporting their belief was overwhelming and palpable and so they filled churches and community halls to hear the encouraging rhetoric of candidates and elected officials and to present themselves, when summoned, at the polling booth.
So now, if we are to overcome the aforementioned negative trends and protect democracy for the future of our children and grandchildren, a continuous institutional process resulting in a holistic analysis of the numerous complex and nuanced factors impacting democracy must be debated and the various solutions evaluated. We need to approach the impact of AI in an interdisciplinary and near constant manner since there are too many today who seek to undermine democracy, not because they have superior ideas, ideals or methods of governance but rather because they seek wealth and power for themselves and their nascent and oppressive dynasties.
In closing, the unipolar world order of the past several decades has been beneficial for many but also damaging for some. If we seek to resurrect and sustain that order and repair its deficiencies and to protect it from the abuse of AI and other 4th Industrial Revolution sciences and technologies, we will need to act with the highest possible sense of urgency. Perhaps most importantly, this endeavor will require participation and sacrifice from all quarters.
There is no doubt that our system of liberal democracy is worth improving and protecting – no other ideology in the past 12,000 years since the birth of civilization has ever come close from the perspective of positive outcomes. But sustaining this extraordinary system of governance in an age of staggering scientific and technical challenges will have a price that we must collectively summon the will to pay.
Vicar Sayeedi is a Computer Scientist and Bell Labs Alumnus, a Lecturer and a Consultant. He is also the author of several books. His most recent book is about Artificial Intelligence and is titled, The Génome Affair.
Vicar has lectured widely about Artificial Intelligence. He has recently lectured in New York at the National Hemophilia Foundation about AI & the Life Sciences. He has also lectured in London in the Royal Boroughs of Kensington & Chelsea and Westminster, in Sunnyvale in Silicon Valley, the National Library of Singapore as well as in Düsseldorf [with invitations extended to Amsterdam, Berlin, Cologne, Rome, Stockholm & Vienna] on AI and its implications for individuals and societies. Vicar has lectured at leading companies, as well.
Vicar is most interested in the big questions facing humankind. He is particularly focused on studying at the confluence of the five great disciplines of Human History, Political Science and Thought, International Affairs, Science and Technology. For geopolitical technologists, the symbiosis at this intersection offers a deep understanding and pedagogically important lessons of how advances in human endeavor have influenced and impacted civilization.
Vicar has been writing books, essays and poetry for many years. For the past 30 years, Vicar has worked in the Technology and Pharmaceutical industries. He is currently a Consultant in the Life Sciences Industry and lives in suburban Chicago with his wife and their three grown children.
You can find Vicar’s recent book on AI, The Génome Affair on Amazon at this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07YQ7M9Q7
The most recent episodes of Vicar’s ai & u! Podcast are on YouTube at the following links:
Episode 1 - https://youtu.be/yNYr28jtY_k
What is Artificial Intelligence? What is Human Intelligence?
Episode 2 - https://youtu.be/kAEgDNh1Nwc
How Did We Get Here? Machine Learning, Neural Networks & the AI Lexicon, Exciting AI Agents
Episode 3 - https://youtu.be/3PYCyv1pCgM
Deep Mind - How Powerful is Narrow AI? State Surveillance and Surveillance Capitalism
Episode 4 - https://youtu.be/WvobCMIM_H4
Impact on Societies That Possess Artificial Intelligence Versus Those that Do Not!
Episode 5 - https://youtu.be/4JVpvm4g79g
Surveillance Capitalism, Surveillance State, 4th Industrial Revolution, Bifurcation of Sapiens
Episode 6 - https://youtu.be/e1q2GgcWQok
AI, Blockchain & Quantum Computing - Implications for Global and National Governance
Episode 7 - https://youtu.be/4bDSUvrOdd4
Popular Perceptions of Intelligence, the Seat of Human Intelligence and Implications for AI
Episode 8 - https://youtu.be/3GjHqQZL7Pk
AI - Why Should I care? Plus Exciting Updates from Elon Musk and Neuralink!
Episode 9 - https://youtu.be/enpecqDecC8
AI - Excellence, Innovation & Genius
Episode 10 - https://youtu.be/UsriESlTjdA
Implications for AI as China and the West Decouple
Episode 11 - https://youtu.be/0CpaMb-yw3g
Artificial Intelligence: Ethics, Law & Society
Episode 12 - https://youtu.be/PLzodrLWMq0
AI & Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems
Episode 13 - https://youtu.be/Lm_nrNyJRbA
AI & the Future of Work in Industry 4.0 – the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 14 - https://youtu.be/_3E1Mhr_Dt8
Artificial Intelligence and its Implications for Authoritarianism and Democracy
Episode 15 - https://youtu.be/IpMUqHOEd7w
Artificial Intelligence, Consciousness & the Future of Homo Sapiens
Episode 16 - https://youtu.be/mIf7_VMzGKo
AI and its Implications for America's Political Environment
Episode 17 - https://youtu.be/gsMRPnovZGI
Special Episode: Reading From The Génome Affair
Episode 18 - https://youtu.be/UxNxtWDCREM
Artificial Intelligence - Digital Tyranny, Datocracy and the Imitation Game
Episode 19 - https://youtu.be/Db8U0QQWWuY
Does Artificial Intelligence Really Replicate Human Intelligence?
Episode 20 - https://youtu.be/Np18AEq-6DM
AI & Rising Geopolitical Tensions Between China & The West
Episode 21 - https://youtu.be/fOMSvNiixA0
AI & In-vitro Fertilization [IVF]
Episode 22 - https://youtu.be/EQPpRhIV6Kw
AI & Human Intelligence: A Complex Relationship
Episode 23 - https://youtu.be/EAbQ7stY7JQ
AI Upends the World of Structural Biology
Episode 24 - https://youtu.be/Bsb1F8uoBpA
AI & COVID-19: An Extraordinary Contribution
Episode 25 - https://youtu.be/PqL5PCRc8tA
AI, Connectomics & Transhumanism: the Future of Humankind
Episode 26 - https://youtu.be/HI8Zjl8VM8U
Dramatic Upheaval Inside Google's Ethical AI Team
Episode 27 - https://youtu.be/TqWwJYc2GxQ
AI & Cyber Espionage | How Will the Sunburst Attack Affect Our Security?
Episode 28 - https://youtu.be/89BcThqgcfQ
AI & the Rapidly Escalating Threat from Deep Fake Videos
Episode 29 - https://youtu.be/zvOHRMmJNB4
AI, Facial Recognition Technology & The Digital Surveillance State
Episode 30 - https://youtu.be/br4ygfEWdk0
AI & Social Media | The Most Destructive AI We've Ever Seen?
Episode 31 - https://youtu.be/sOy12ii8zwM
The Democratization of AI & The 2021 Maiflower Expedition | Plymouth, England to Plymouth, MA
Episode 32 - https://youtu.be/bixdLL74reE
Sino-American Cold War | A Blessing in Disguise for America?
Episode 33 - https://youtu.be/tTRm312DgMc
AI & the Tyranny of Meritocracy
Episode 34 - https://youtu.be/FpPzC5VP6GM
In the Midst of Chaos and Pandemic | A Big AI Announcement From the Trump Administration
Episode 35 - https://youtu.be/bK3xCBwrG8w
Artificial Super Intelligence – Can We Control It?
Episode 36 - https://youtu.be/Rc60DQ0L86Q
A New America | Hope with a Big Dose of Caution
Episode 37 - https://youtu.be/UBenYYHbYqM
Will AI [Science & Tech] Benefit From a New Cold War with China?
Episode 38 - https://youtu.be/JewJnPywnOU
Will AI Eventually Replace All Other Forms of Government?
Episode 39 - https://youtu.be/ibuJ8vozyqg
Will AI Perpetuate Bias in Employment, Health Systems, Law and Society?
Episode 40 - https://youtu.be/IJYbPfGC-08
AI | Will it be the Bain of Cyber Criminals?
Episode 41 - https://youtu.be/ozrO5_XTYKQ
AI | What Will it Mean for the Future of Work?
Episode 42 - https://youtu.be/kDKapDK-Vb0
AI | A Harbinger for the End of Democracy?
Episode 43 - https://youtu.be/7XeNyE8CA9I
AI & the Life Sciences | Developments in Connectomics & Radiology
Episode 44 - https://youtu.be/mWaPW_UolVo
AI & Geopolitics | Critical Strategic Planning in the Age of China
Episode 45 - https://youtu.be/qOSOc3vJRBk
AI & Humankind | What Might the Future Hold?
Episode 46 - https://youtu.be/atMSV1WAFkg
AI Enabled Surveillance | An Important Tool to Contain Dangerous Personality Traits?
Episode 47 - https://youtu.be/kz7-EDmlGXc
Will AI Favor Authoritarianism or Democracy?
Episode 48 - https://youtu.be/uTvKWQgdOaI
AI | A Key Enabler of Universal Basic Income?
Episode 49 - https://youtu.be/sy48Xqo-3qM
AI & The Future of Government, Industry, Markets &Trade
Episode 50 - https://youtu.be/JU1oGzb5TS0
AI & Surveillance | America’s New Strategy in the Middle East
Episode 51 - https://youtu.be/nOCQjUxLWJY
AI-Enabled Global Government | An Idea Whose Time Has Come?
Episode 52 - https://youtu.be/g1VJqiI3HyE
AI & Healthcare | What Will the Future Look Like? Will it be More Equitable?
Episode 53 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Surveillance | The Ethical Dilemma of Facial Recognition Software
Episode 54 - https://youtu.be/ie9KAg_kF7Q
AI & Regulation | Europe is Leading the Way
Episode 55 - https://youtu.be/l-gcYTZMsm8
AI & Consciousness | Will Machines Soon be Sentient?
Episode 56 - https://youtu.be/-8BaouCn9cs
AI & Regulation | Europe Announces New Rules
Episode 57 - https://youtu.be/243zm7aHImQ
AI & Human Emotion Recognition | Is it Inherently Flawed?
Episode 58 - https://youtu.be/rdXllGj8rbo
AI & Autonomous Vehicles | Where are We Now?
Episode 59 - https://youtu.be/EMbqpN5mbqw
AI & the 4 Little Trees | More on Emotion Recognition
Episode 60 - https://youtu.be/K5wtkj-VTrk
AI & the Colonial Pipeline Attack | Cyber Threats are Growing Rapidly
Episode 61 - https://youtu.be/03KysO3VJgI
AI & the Coronavirus | A Postmortem
Episode 62 - https://youtu.be/7wmSIWgbuQI
AI on the Battlefield | The Conflict in Gaza
Episode 63 - https://youtu.be/a_1AmLJD3lo
AI and Xenophobia | Will We Finally Break the Cycle?
Episode 64 - https://youtu.be/9s-Go1TYK9c
AI, Cyber Attacks & the Future of War | Where are We Headed?
Episode 65 - https://youtu.be/1nKbTMzfpqM
Artificial Intelligence | Humankind’s Final and Greatest Invention
Episode 66 - https://youtu.be/cplR62KTa88
America & the 4th Industrial Revolution | Where do We Go from Here?
Episode 67 - https://youtu.be/RMrqreI-PRw
Artificial Intelligence | [Digital] Life After Death
Episode 68 - https://youtu.be/KzR8NkVdT0Q
Artificial Intelligence | The Fear Factor
Episode 69 - https://youtu.be/BI0HqACc4Ek
Artificial Intelligence | The Trust Factor
Episode 70 - https://youtu.be/nKhqVtQC_NI
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for the Future of Democracy
Episode 71 - https://youtu.be/GKD5hXmnpTU
Artificial Intelligence | Deep Fakes & Pornography
Episode 72 - https://youtu.be/KJdoBm5Kmw8
Artificial Intelligence | Working in the 21st Century
Episode 73 - https://youtu.be/lLY6gF_eeas
AI & Disinformation | Implications for Democracy & Geopolitics
Episode 74 - https://youtu.be/URsauWURj5A
AI, Climate Change & Pandemics | A Case for Global Governance?
Episode 75 - https://youtu.be/cu7xOHpNiO4
Artificial Intelligence | New Year’s Resolutions & Societal Reformation
Episode 76 - https://youtu.be/1-orEsKg5fM
Artificial Intelligence | Meritocracy and the Gathering Storm
Episode 77 - https://youtu.be/jYzyrxhxCJk
AI, Authoritarianism & Democracy | What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 78 – https://youtu.be/G5dlaB8TZJQ
AI & Speciation | Symbiosis and the 4th Industrial Revolution
Episode 79 – https://youtu.be/8pq2ZAxRdcY
AI and Disinformation | Echo Chambers in an Age of Division
Episode 80 – https://youtu.be/bewLnveVpDI
AI & Human Conflict | Objectivism, Tribalism & the Dunning-Kruger Effect
Episode 81 – https://youtu.be/Z5ZvMYuNhLQ
AI, Climate Change & Migration | Sowing the Seeds of Intraplanetary Discord
Episode 82 – https://youtu.be/mP-r_0pS3P8
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Where are We Now and What Does the Future Hold?
Episode 83 – https://youtu.be/vYSW-pceOQE
Artificial Intelligence in 2022 | Is Protein Folding Our Most Important Achievement?
Episode 84 – https://youtu.be/IBgF_oyCvpE
Artificial Intelligence & 21st Century Military Doctrine | Tora! Tora! Tora!
Episode 85 – https://youtu.be/sxGeIZSlYYo
Artificial Intelligence & Healthcare | A Revolution in the Making
Episode 86 – https://youtu.be/gARgH5rlCG8
AI & Thermonuclear Fusion | The Ultimate Solution for Climate Change
Episode 87 – https://youtu.be/baWRuYBKgu4
Putin’s Russia | A State of Humiliation
Episode 88 – https://youtu.be/6TP5AFtg-6g
AI & Genomics | Accelerating Gene Therapies
Episode 89 – https://youtu.be/_vgLJEoQFY4
Unipolar, Bipolar & Multipolar Worlds | Implications for Humankind
Episode 90 – https://youtu.be/8S7SDcqKNZ0
AI & Neocolonialism | Datocracy & the Surveillance State
Episode 91 – https://youtu.be/RfEIbPNAALo
AI & the Truman Doctrine | The Merits of Preserving the New World Order
Episode 92 – https://youtu.be/q1ybdNC5MiI
The Apollo Moon Landing | Lessons for Civilization in the Age of AI
Episode 93 – https://youtu.be/r1oc9uU8Ct4
Artificial Intelligence & Sapiens 3.0 | Are We Ready?
Episode 94 – https://youtu.be/OqUfXNwqtDU
Artificial Intelligence & Authoritarianism | What’s the Attraction?
Episode 95 – https://youtu.be/-HfFs-XVnKo
Irrationality and Intolerance | Humankind’s Two Greatest Liabilities in the Age of AI
Episode 96 – https://youtu.be/-ITqhjIe4yU
Sustaining Democracy in the Age of AI
Episode 97 –
Artificial Intelligence | Implications for Our Future
