Ep. 163: AI and the coming cognitive revolution. | Nathan Labenz

The podcast explores the evolving role of AI engineers and the potential of AI in various fields, particularly science and medicine. Nathan Labenz, host of the Cognitive Revolution podcast, discusses the emergence of AI engineers who specialize in working with generative AI and APIs, distinguishing them from machine learning engineers and researchers. He highlights the use of AI in analyzing DNA sequences to understand gene essentiality and in generating novel proteins with potential applications in human biology and space exploration. The conversation also covers the debate around AI consciousness, the importance of interpretability in AI development, and the potential for AI to democratize access to expertise, especially in healthcare. Labenz advocates for a balanced approach, encouraging the adoption of AI while also recognizing the need for caution and further research into its capabilities and potential risks.