I've been aware of Ben Goertzel since, I believe, the 1980s or 1990s, when I read and article he published in The Journal of Social and Evolutionary Systems, a journal where David Hays and I published regularly. He's a researcher in artificial intelligence who thinks that his team may well produce AGI and that AGI isn't all that far in the future.
He's working entirely outside the world of Big AI in the USofA, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Facebook, etc. He's skeptical about the larger claims being made about GPT systems, a skepticism I feel is warranted, but sees them as nonetheless interesting and useful. I agree with that as well.
It's interesting comparing his remarks with those of John Veraeke (immediately below). At one point while listening to him I brought myself to the edge of thinking about actually creating or encountering an artificial mind that warrants moral standing and rights. That's an uncanny feeling. We're getting closer to that. How much closer....Who knows.
From the YouTube page:
Today we’re joined by Ben Goertzel, CEO of SingularityNET. In our conversation with Ben, we explore all things AGI, including the potential scenarios that could arise with the advent of AGI and his preference for a decentralized rollout comparable to the internet or Linux. Ben shares his research in bridging neural nets, symbolic logic engines, and evolutionary programming engines to develop a common mathematical framework for AI paradigms. We also discuss the limitations of Large Language Models (LLMs) and the potential of hybridizing LLMs with other AGI approaches. Additionally, we chat about their work using LLMs for music generation and the limitations of formalizing creativity. Finally, Ben discusses his team's work with the OpenCog Hyperon framework and Simuli to achieve AGI, and the potential implications of their research in the future.
Chapters:
05:16 - AGI and Sentience
08:52 - Current Large Language Models and the Path to AGI
17:33 - Large Language Models Limited in Theory of Mind
22:07 - Exploring the Potential of Music LM Models
27:06 - AGI potential paths: Neuroscience vs. Mathematical Fusion
31:29 - OpenCog Hyperon: Rebuilding AI Infrastructure at Scale
35:44 - Advancing Towards Truth GPT and AGI Breakthrough
42:33 - The Complexities Behind Sophia's Dialogue Responses
53:08 - General Intelligence and Agency: Tightly Linked?
57:58 - The Implications of AGI Breakthrough: Decentralization Needed
