Past Conversations

Spring 2025

• 

  Silicon Valley Scandals

  February 12, 2025 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

  The Theranos Fraud, The Silicon Valley Bank Collapse, and the mysterious ousting, then reinstatement of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are just a few glimpses into the strange inner workings of the Silicon Valley tech industry. When huge promises meet the high stakes of multi-million dollar investments, how do the people in leadership positions handle, and mis-handle it?
  
  Topics of conversation may include: What tech industry scandals weigh heavy on your mind or affect your field of study? And what does accountability look like to you?
• 

  The Infinite Scroll

  February 26, 2025 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

  If you’ve ever looked up and realized you’ve been scrolling TikTok or Instagram for hours, you’ve felt the manipulative pull of the infinite scroll. Invented by Aza Raskin in 2006, this seemingly harmless design feature feeds users an endless stream of scrolling content, removing any natural stopping points and creating the illusion of "bottomless" content. This design fosters a sense of endless discovery while subtly eroding users' sense of agency, as the scroll encourages passive consumption rather than active choice.
  
  Topics of conversation may include: Is this design pattern ethical? Has your field of study been affected by it? And given a system where companies can take advantage of our psychology, how can we defend ourselves?
  
• 

  Cryptocurrency

  March 12, 2025 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

  As the value of one bitcoin surpasses $100,000 and an incoming administration vocally supports a U.S. Bitcoin Reserve, the sturdiness of cryptocurrency markets around the world continue to defy expectations. What once was known to many as a volatile pyramid scheme is now a major financial institution, the ramifications of which remain unclear.
  
  Topics of conversation may include: What are your thoughts, feelings, and experiences with crypto? Have current events changed your outlook or reinforced them? And how has blockchain or crypto affected your field of study?

• 

  "Move Fast and Break Things"

  March 26, 2025 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

  In last semester’s discussion on the Cybertruck, we touched on the idea of other industries, like automotive, adopting an ethos of disruption that originated in the tech industry — one that’s been known for putting innovation and progress ahead of stability and security. A phrase coined by Mark Zuckerberg sums it up: “move fast and break things.”
  
  Topics of conversation may include: Have you seen this ethos appearing in your field of study? What are your thoughts and feelings about the prioritization of innovation? And what are some examples of this ethos in action that concern you?
• 

  Department of Government Efficiency's Impact on Technology

  April 9, 2025 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

  With proposals to reduce the number of federal employees by as much as 75% and reduce the federal budget by $2 trillion, this newly proposed advisory commission stands to have wide ranging effects for the United States.
  
  Topics of conversation may include: a thorough review of the promises of DOGE, and discussion on its context. How would this commission affect your field of study? And in what ways do we see it affecting the future of technology?
• 

  The Apple Vision Pro Revisited

  April 23, 2025 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm

  Released just over a year ago to wide eyed curiosity, acclaim, skepticism, and criticism, the Apple Vision Pro remains a singularly mysterious (and expensive) device. It stands apart from other headsets by marketing itself as an arbiter of spatial computing, so how has that practice advanced in the last year?
  
  Topics of conversation may include: What are your thoughts and feelings about the idea of spatial computing? How might it affect your field of study? And do you imagine a future with more mixed reality devices dystopian or utopian?

Fall 2024

• 

  Sora

  September 10, 2024 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm

  OpenAI's Sora is an advanced AI video generation platform that leverages cutting-edge machine learning techniques to create realistic and dynamic video content. AI video generation platforms like Sora will transform media production, clearly. But perhaps more importantly, they represent a new way for machines to ‘understand’ the world. While Large Language Models produce human-like language, AI video generation platforms, in order to create highly realistic videos, utilize advanced machine learning to build up a nuanced understanding of how objects and environments should naturally behave. This comprehensive General World Model enables them to accurately predict and simulate complex physical interactions within a scene, ensuring that the generated content is both convincing and true to real-world physics.
• 

  AI Companionship

  September 24, 2024 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm

  Sherry Turkle, an MIT sociologist of technology and psychologist, has called our increasing reliance on chatbots for companionship, “the greatest assault on empathy.” Dubbed ‘artificial intimacy,’ she and others have bemoaned the way these technologies create illusions of companionship without the challenges and rewards of real human interaction, potentially diminishing our ability to empathize with others and undermining the development of meaningful interpersonal relationships. Still, AI companionship offers direct benefits such as providing consistent and personalized emotional support and companionship to individuals who may feel isolated, offering a non-judgmental and accessible platform for interaction.
• 

  The Cybertruck

  October 8, 2024 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm

  The Cybertruck represents significant technological advances, featuring innovations like steer-by-wire technology, adaptive air suspension, and a powerful electric drivetrain that showcases the potential future of automotive engineering. But the truck has also sparked a wide range of social and cultural critiques. Some argue that, while an electric vehicle, the energy required for its production along with its size undermine its environmental benefits. Others have described it as an elitist military-style vehicle designed to protect the wealthy from inevitable urban warfare and societal collapse. Still others see the hostility and controversy surrounding the Cybertruck simply as an extension of the polarized feelings about Elon Musk himself.

• 

  ShiftSC & Ahmanson Lab: Humankind vs. Nature in the Age of Technology

  October 22, 2024 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm

  This Conversation was held in partnership with ShiftSC.
  
  By one estimate, ChatGPT requires a 16-ounce bottle of water for every twenty-five responses it generates. The rapid advancement of AI requires significant computational power, which in turn demands vast amounts of water for cooling data centers, raising concerns about sustainability. As AI and other cutting-edge technologies continue to evolve, so do their environmental footprints. The race to develop and deploy data centers, along with smartphones and other new technologies, has intensified the demand for rare earth minerals and other materials, leading to increased mining activities with significant environmental impacts and often exploitative working conditions for miners in affected regions. This Conversation will delve into the often-overlooked environmental costs of AI and emerging technologies, examining how these developments are reshaping our planet in both visible and hidden ways.
• 

  Philosophy and Politics of Virtual Worlds

  November 12, 2024 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm

  Our world is becoming more simulated: from the temporary virtual reality and gaming environments into which we voluntarily enter to the artificial, bot- and ai media-dominated online spaces into which we may soon find ourselves to the fully simulated world into which we may unknowingly live. This shift challenges us to navigate the ethical, social, and philosophical implications of living in a world where the line between reality and simulation is becoming ever more indistinct.
• 

  Working Conditions in the Tech Industry

  November 26, 2024 | 12:00pm - 1:00pm

  The tech industry is plagued by numerous examples of poor working conditions and lack of worker autonomy. ‘Ghost work,’ which involves data labeling for machine learning models, is often characterized by low pay ($3.31 an hour on average), lack of job security, and poor working conditions, as these tasks are outsourced to underpaid contractors around the world. At companies like Amazon, warehouse employees frequently endure grueling working conditions, including strict productivity quotas, limited breaks, and inadequate safety measures. Workers in the gig economy are frequently paid according to opaque algorithms that determine both their compensation and job availability, making it difficult for them to predict their income and leading to a lack of job security and financial stability. Even software developers are crunched under extreme performance metrics and increasingly systematized monitoring.

Spring 2024

• 

  Tech CEOs

  February 6, 2024 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  In today's technology landscape, the immense power, wealth, and influence wielded by tech CEOs has become more and more apparent. Elon Musk, known for his capricious management style, unilaterally alters X’s policies almost weekly, highlighting the unpredictable nature of such concentrated authority. The recent drama at OpenAI, whereby CEO Sam Altman was abruptly dismissed by the board only to be hastily reinstated with board members resigning, underscores the volatile and often unregulated governance within major tech companies. These events reflect a growing concern about the unchecked power of tech leaders, raising questions about accountability and the broader impact of their decisions on society and technology's ethical landscape.
  
  Topics for discussion during this conversation might include: In light of the OpenAI incident involving Sam Altman, what does the lack of consistent and transparent leadership in major tech firms reveal about the ethical and operational challenges facing the tech industry today? How does the concentration of power in the hands of individual technology CEOs impact the democratic nature of technology governance and the representation of diverse user interests?
• 

  Apple Vision Pro

  February 20, 2024 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  Apple's Vision Pro, with its ambitious aim to revolutionize spatial computing, raises critical questions about use, accessibility, and even the necessity of such advancements. By mandating the use of a headset for interacting with computers, it challenges conventional computing norms, prompting skepticism about whether this is a positive development or merely a solution in search of a problem. While technologically impressive, the Vision Pro (and VR, more generally) invites a deeper examination of its practicality and the broader implications of fostering such a significant shift in everyday digital interactions.
  
  Topics for discussion during this conversation might include: Does the introduction of technologies like Apple's Vision Pro, which require headsets for spatial computing, align with the actual needs and preferences of users? Considering the broader societal implications, what are the potential consequences of transitioning to spatial computing platforms like Vision Pro on issues of digital divide and accessibility? In what ways could the increased use of Apple's Vision Pro and similar spatial computing technologies impact interpersonal relationships and social skills, especially among younger generations?
• 

  Technology Nobody Wants

  March 5, 2024 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  In 1954, Jacques Ellul's introduced his concept of 'technique,' the idea that technological development is an autonomous process, driven primarily by an internal logic of efficiency and problem-solving, rather than by human desires or societal needs. We sometimes see this concept at work with technologies that are seemingly developed because they are the next, most efficient version, or simply because they can be - for instance, the unsuccessful endeavors of the 1970s to market civilian supersonic aircraft that absolutely no one wanted to use. More recent examples might be Humane’s AI Pin, Rabbit R1, VR movies, and the Facebook Phone.
  
  Topics for discussion during this conversation might include: What’s your favorite example of a technology (or vapourware) that nobody needs or wants? What role do cultural, social, and economic factors play in determining the success or failure of new technologies? How do the principles of Jacques Ellul's 'technique' manifest in the development of technologies that end up being unwanted, and what does this suggest about the relationship between technological innovation and societal needs?

• 

  GenAI + Disinformation + 2024 Elections

  March 19, 2024 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  In the 2024 U.S. presidential election, the use of generative AI for disinformation poses a significant threat, especially given the existing deep divisions among American voters. This technology's potential to create convincing fake content could further erode public trust and manipulate electoral outcomes. The danger is amplified globally, as nearly half the world's population faces major elections in 2024, raising concerns about the widespread impact of AI-driven disinformation on democratic processes worldwide.
  
  Topics for discussion during this conversation might include: How can voters differentiate between genuine information and AI-generated disinformation during the 2024 U.S. presidential election, and what strategies can be implemented to educate the public about this issue? In what ways might the deep political divisions in the United States amplify the effects of AI-generated disinformation during the 2024 election, and how can these divisions be addressed to mitigate this impact? Considering the global scale of elections in 2024, how can international cooperation and policy development be utilized to combat the spread of AI-driven disinformation across different countries and political systems?
• 

  Art and the Artist

  April 2, 2024 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  In Collaboration with Corpus Callosum
  
  At the core of every artistic creation lies an artist. This conversation aims to explore how art and artist mutually influence each other, questioning whether art can transcend the creator's identity. Particularly intriguing is the case of art produced by generative technologies, where the artist's identity is often ambiguous. We will explore whether the context of art's creation should impact our appreciation and understanding of it.
  
  Topics for discussion during this conversation might include: How do personal experiences, beliefs, and emotions of artists manifest in their work? In what ways does creating art transform the artist? Can and should art be viewed independently from its creator’s identity? How does knowing an artist’s background influence the audience's experience? With AI in art, how do we interpret the relationship between art and artist when the creator is an algorithm? How does an artist's moral stance affect the public reception of their art?
• 

  P(doom)

  April 16, 2024 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  P(doom), commonly referred to as “p doom,” is the estimated probability that the emergence of advanced artificial intelligence will lead to the end of humanity. This concept has recently become a topic of intense discussion and debate following the rapid development of AI technologies and related concerns about their potential to surpass human intelligence and control. It’s even become somewhat commonplace for individuals in Silicon Valley to introduce themselves by asking about one's p(doom) score (between 0-100%), a conversational shorthand for gauging beliefs about the likelihood of AI leading to humanity's downfall.
  
  Topics for discussion during this conversation might include: How can the development of general and super AI be ethically and safely managed to minimize the p(doom) score, ensuring that such technologies do not pose existential risks to humanity? Is the use of the term p(doom) in Silicon Valley conversations really more about hyping the advancements in AI and creating a sensational narrative, rather than a genuine concern for the existential risks posed by these technologies? And, of course, what is your p(doom) score and why?

Fall 2023

• 

  VR: A Solution Without A Problem?

  September 5, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  Virtual reality (VR) has been lauded for its groundbreaking potential to redefine how we interact with digital environments, yet its practical, everyday applications remain elusive for most. While the technology offers unparalleled immersive experiences, its practical applications often appear limited, overshadowed by the novelty of the experience itself. The high costs of adoption, both in terms of equipment and content creation, further compound the challenge. Some critics thus argue that VR, in many cases, represents an impressive technological feat searching for a truly essential application, rather than addressing a pre-existing, widespread need.
  
  Topics of conversation might include: Will VR always be a niche technology for gamers and other tech enthusiasts or will the metaverse (promoted by Meta) or spatial computing (marketed by Apple’s new Vision Pro) become mainstream? How has the narrative of virtual reality's potential outpaced its real-world applications, and what does this disconnect reveal more generally about technology adoption? With emerging technologies like augmented reality (AR) offering more seamless integration into daily life, how does VR maintain its unique value proposition?
• 

  The Future of Social Media

  September 19, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  As social media companies seek to expand, or even maintain, their market position, they will likely develop their platforms to integrate into more areas of our daily lives and activities. We already see glimpses of this expansion. With the rise of the metaverse, social interactions may evolve from flat, screen-based engagements to immersive, three-dimensional shared experiences, potentially redefining the very essence of online community. As platforms like WeChat, and now X (formerly known as Twitter) move into the financial sector, social media may transform from mere communication tools to comprehensive hubs for transactions, payments, and commerce.
  
  Topics of conversation might include: Are there benefits to having social media platforms act as all-encompassing ecosystems that centralize various sectors of our lives like communication, culture, finance, commerce, and healthcare? Are there ethical concerns? How might regulatory bodies address the aggressive expansion strategies of social media giants, especially when they start to monopolize additional areas of daily life?
• 

  Artificial Superintelligence

  October 3, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  Artificial superintelligence (ASI) refers to a hypothetical form of AI that surpasses human intelligence across all fields, from creative arts to scientific research. Unlike contemporary AI, which excels in specific tasks, ASI would be capable of outperforming the best human minds in every domain. The emergence of ASI raises profound ethical, safety, and existential questions about its potential impact on society and humanity's future.
  
  Topics of conversation might include: How far do we think we are away from artificial general intelligence as well as superintelligence? How can we ensure that superintelligent entities act in humanity's best interests, and what fail-safes are necessary to prevent unintended consequences? What happens when an ASI is capable of building an AI superior to itself (e.g. and that subsequent AI is capable of building an AI superior to itself etc…)?

• 

  Persuasive Technologies

  October 17, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  Social media companies meticulously design their platforms using persuasive techniques to maximize user engagement, capitalizing on the new "attention economy." Features like endless scrolling, notifications, and "like" systems exploit human psychology (in many cases, our dopamine delivery system), driving users to seek validation and spend more time on the platform. By leveraging algorithms that curate content based on user behavior, these platforms ensure that users are constantly presented with personalized, captivating content, making it difficult to disengage.
  
  Topics of conversation might include: What is the impact of persuasive design and addictive user interfaces on mental health and well-being? What are the psychological impacts of validation mechanisms, such as "likes," “followers,” and "comments"? Are they fostering a new kind of social dependency? How might future platforms adapt or change to capture even more of our attention (e.g. in the metaverse), and what defenses can individuals adopt?
• 

  Affective Computing

  November 14, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  Affective computing is a branch of computer science and artificial intelligence that focuses on the design and development of systems capable of recognizing, interpreting, and simulating human emotions. By integrating sensors, software, and algorithms, these systems can respond to user emotions in a way that appears emotionally intelligent. While the current aim of affective computing is to improve human-computer interaction by making devices more responsive to the emotional states of their users, there's potential for such systems to be used manipulatively, altering content or responses to exploit users' emotional states for profit or other motives.
  
  Topics of conversation might include: As technology becomes more emotionally responsive, how can we strike a balance to prevent over-dependence on machines for emotional validation or support? In what ways might affective computing be used for emotional manipulation, and how can we prevent such misuse? How can we make users aware of when and how their emotional state is being monitored, and what rights do they have concerning the use and storage of this data?
• 

  Technology as Religion

  November 28, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  Technology presents paradigms that parallel religious concepts, offering alternative interpretations of age-old beliefs. Indeed, cutting-edge technologies enable even staunch materialists in places like Silicon Valley, (e.g. Ray Kurzweil) to embrace beliefs typically associated with metaphysics or religion. For instance, the notion of uploading one's consciousness to a computer resonates with the religious promise of eternal life, suggesting a digital transcendence beyond physical mortality. Similarly, the theory that we exist within a computer simulation mirrors religious beliefs of a realm or existence beyond our perceived reality, hinting at layers of creation we've yet to understand. Furthermore, as we edge closer to creating an Artificial Superintelligence, it can be perceived as a god-like entity, possessing knowledge and power far beyond human comprehension.
  
  Topics of conversation might include: As Artificial Intelligence and other technologies become increasingly integrated into daily life, how might religious interpretations of the soul, consciousness, and existence evolve? Can technological developments truly replace or serve as alternatives to religious beliefs (can they for instance, give our lives meaning and purpose ), or do they simply offer another layer of interpretation for our existential questions? How might these interpretations differ across cultures and belief systems?

Spring 2023

• 

  Twitter

  January 25, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  Twitter has had a significant impact on the way people communicate and share information. It has enabled individuals and organizations to reach large audiences quickly and easily and has become an important tool for networking and building communities. However, since Elon Musk’s acquisition of the platform in October 2022, its policies and social impact have received renewed scrutiny.
  
  Areas of conversation may include: What are Twitter’s obligations towards moderating forms of harmful speech? Does the platform's promotion of engaging content lead to the amplification of disturbing material and fringe views? How much of Twitter is made up of chatbots and is this a problem?
• 

  ChatGPT

  February 8, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  The New York Times has called ChatGPT, a large language model launched by OpenAI in December 2022, “quite simply, the best artificial intelligence chatbot ever released to the general public.” Chatgpt is capable of, among other tasks, writing expert-level essays, generating near-pristine computer code, debugging code, summarizing complex ideas, and writing poetry.
  
  Areas of conversation may include: How will this change how people search for, synthesize, and communicate information? How far does the technological leap represented by ChatGPT get us towards artificial general intelligence (AGI)? Which industries is this technology most likely to disrupt?
• 

  Transhumanism

  February 22, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  Transhumanism is a philosophical movement that explores the potential for human beings to evolve beyond their current physical and mental limitations through the use of technology – from tech-driven anti-aging techniques to codifying human consciousness for download into computational hardware.
  
  Areas of conversation may include: Which parts of the human experience are likely to be reproducible as computer code? What is the potential for using technology to extend the human lifespan? What are the ethical implications of using technology to enhance human abilities, and in particular, equity of access to such technologies?

• 

  AI Ethics

  March 8, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  AI ethics refers to the ethical considerations that arise from the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. As AI continues to advance and to play an increasing role in areas from healthcare to education and criminal justice, ethical implications of AI will need to be carefully considered.
  
  Areas of conversation may include: How do we ensure that AI is used in a way that is fair, equitable, and respects the dignity of all individuals? How do we prevent current AI systems, which are trained on existing data, from perpetuating and amplifying social biases by engaging in algorithmically discriminatory practices?
• 

  The Metaverse

  March 22, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  The Metaverse is being developed and promoted by a variety of technology companies and researchers.
  
  Areas of conversation may include: Will the Metaverse create new opportunities for social interaction and collaboration or lead to isolation and disconnection? How will the Metaverse impact issues of identity, privacy, and security? How might people be able to create multiple virtual identities, and how will their online and offline identities will be linked? How may the Metaverse lead to greater inequality, with some individuals and communities having greater access to and control over virtual resources than others?
• 

  Living in a Simulation

  March 29, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  The topic of whether or not we are living in a simulation has garnered a lot of attention in recent years. Scientists and philosophers have weighed in on the matter, with some arguing that it is statistically likely that we are living in a computer-generated reality.
  
  Areas of conversation may include: What are the arguments for and against the idea that our reality is a simulation? What are the implications of this idea and what could it mean for our understanding of the universe and our place within it? What are the ways in which this concept has been explored in popular culture, such as in the film "The Matrix"?

• 

  AI Bill of Rights

  April 12, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  In October of 2022, the Office of Science and Technology Policy released The White House Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights. The Bill of Rights is a set of guidelines that outline the rights and responsibilities of artificial intelligence (AI) systems and their creators—from issues of data privacy to algorithmic decision-making systems for financial lending and court-ordered probation.
  
  Areas of conversation may include: What are the potential impacts of AI on society and the economy? What role should the government play in regulating the use of AI? What are the ethical considerations of AI development, particularly in industries such as healthcare, education, and criminal justice?
• 

  Post-Truth

  April 26, 2023 | 3:00pm - 4:00pm

  The notion of a "post-truth" world has gained significant traction in recent years, with many people pointing to the proliferation of fake news and misinformation as evidence that we are now living in a time where objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion.
  
  Areas of conversation may include: How do we combat the increasing difficulty of distinguishing between legitimate news sources and those that are deliberately trying to mislead? Are people, with less agreed upon evidence to consider, more likely to base decisions on emotions and personal beliefs? What is the potential role of artificial intelligence-powered text and image generators in the dissemination of disinformation?