NonProphets

NonProphets


Ep. 58: The Fourth Age (Byron Reese Interview)

May 18, 2018

Episode 58 of the NonProphets podcast, in which Atief, Robert, and Scott talk to Byron Reese about his new book, The Fourth Age: Smart Robots, Conscious Computers, and the Future of Humanity. We talk what motivated the book (00:33); what "the Fourth Age" is (02:00); the role of ideas and culture in history (07:35); whether automation will cause technological unemployment (09:00); whether automation will increase inequality (23:00); what skills we'll need in the future (29:34); whether technological changes will be socially and political disruptive (32:05); why computing and automation hasn't had a larger effect on economic measures of productivity (35:12); what access to the internet is worth (37:10); where fears about AI come from (39:52); what consciousness and free will are (43:11); why Byron is optimistic about the future (53:08). As always, you can reach us at nonprophetspod.wordpress.com or at nonprophetspod@gmail.com. (recorded 5/2/2018)