Nico Andreas Heller in conversation with Yoshua Bengio.

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As AI rapidly advances towards human-level capabilities, the debate over its regulation intensifies. Some argue that regulation is futile and open-source AGI will drive progress, but these perspectives overlook critical risks. Unchecked market forces and geopolitical competition could lead to catastrophic outcomes, but we still have the power to shape a safer future.

In this dialogue, we revisit the potentially catastrophic risks of superhuman AI systems and explore multifaceted approaches to contain, manage, and mitigate these risks. Our discussion extends to regulation and legislation, examining necessary protective laws and their global implementation status. We also address the critical need for effective governance and oversight, exploring potential global architectures to manage AI development.

Ignoring AI risks is not akin to Pascal's wager; the probabilities of severe consequences are real and substantial. We explore how effective regulation, drawing on flexible, principle-based legislation, can balance innovation with safety. Additionally, we examine the double-edged nature of open-source AI: historically beneficial, yet posing significant misuse risks as capabilities grow.

Joining us is Yoshua Bengio, Full Professor at the University of Montreal, Founder and Scientific Director of Mila, and recipient of the 2018 A.M. Turing Award. A pioneering figure in AI and deep learning, Yoshua brings crucial insights to this dialogue on developing comprehensive policies for safe AGI.

For more information about Yoshua Bengio, visit our contributors’ page. To never miss a Reboot Dialogue, if you haven't done so already, subscribe to our newsletter.

Nico Andreas Heller in conversation with John Davenport.

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Studies show that identity fraud cost $52 billion globally in 2021, with ransomware costs potentially reaching an astonishing $265 billion annually by 2031. In this episode of Reboot2030, we examine AI's impact on cybersecurity, focusing on its potential to revolutionise cybercrime through sophisticated attacks and misinformation campaigns targeting individuals, businesses, and democratic institutions alike. We'll explore some of the social and economic risks and associated costs of AI-enabled cybercrime on individuals, societies, and markets, and discuss government and institutional responses, including the need for effective multi-lateral cyber-deterrence strategies.

Joining us for this dialogue is John Davenport, a philosophy professor at Fordham University specialising in moral and political philosophy, including democratic theory, human rights, and global governance. A prominent thinker, he has written extensively on contemporary threats to democracy and is the author of The Democracy Amendments (Anthem, 2023) and A League of Democracies (Routledge, 2018).

For more information about John Davenport, visit our contributors’ page. To never miss a Reboot Dialogue, if you haven't done so already, subscribe to our newsletter.

Nico Andreas Heller in conversation with Pawel Ngei

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In an era of multiple global crises – from the climate emergency, to rising populism and the existential threats posed by rapid developments in AI – positive visions of a sustainable and regenerative future are urgently needed.

This episode of Reboot2030 explores solarpunk, an emergent movement gaining traction for its life-affirming outlook. We unpack its potential for revitalising democracy and social movements, examine how solarpunks propose balancing technological advancement with sustainability, and explore ways of democratising big tech in an age of techno-feudalism to enable the emergence of alternative social structures.

Joining us is Pawel Ngei, a hacker and solarpunk researcher focusing on narratives of technology in culture, especially climate futurism. He works with Global Innovation Gathering, collaborating with inventors and educators from the Global South to discover new, community-based perspectives on tech and culture. Pawel blogs at alxd.org and co-writes the Solarpunk Prompts podcast. To never miss a Reboot Dialogue, if you haven't done so already, subscribe to our newsletter here.