Machines are getting “smarter” while we human beings often seem to behave in dumb, less smart ways. Indeed, we know a lot about HOW to make things happen, but we less and less ask WHY? Example: WHY invest in actions that do not justify the effort and the energy spent? Nuclear power was a big promise; so was the genetic revolution. Now, the same goes for Artificial Intelligence (AI). Opportunity always comes with risks attached to them.

Monterey is paradigmatic for what happens when the WHY questions are taken lightly. Think about Cannery Row: the declining fishery in the bay, the Aquarium. And also, Asilomar -- the hope that we can regulate progress. What better place to have a conversation on the meaning of change than in Monterey, the site of the first public library in California?

Mihai Nadin is Professor Emeritus of Computer Science and Interactive Media and former Ashbel Smith Professor in Interactive Arts, Technology, and Computer Science at the University of Texas at Dallas, where he was also director of the Institute for Research in Anticipatory Systems. He is the author of over 35 books and more than 200 articles and lives in Carmel Valley.

Dr. Nadin’s latest book, Disrupt Science: The Future Matters, provides timely insights into the limitations of Artificial Intelligence (AI), machines and automation in contrast to the robust, versatile intelligence displayed by humans and all other life forms.

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