Humans On The Loop

Andrew Gallimore, pioneering psychedelic neuroscientist and author, explores DMT’s strange high-dimensional worlds and their implications for consciousness. He discusses treating DMT as a technology, EEG evidence of vivid closed-eye perception, the intelligent-agents hypothesis, modeling expanded cortical representation, and plans for extended-state research at Eleusis.

Today’s very overdue conversation is with AI ethicist and organizational trust expert Nathan Kinch of Trustworthy By Design (Website | LinkedIn), asking questions like: How do institutions made of decent, well-meaning people continue to behave out of alignment with their stated values? How do we dig ourselves out of a catastrophic collapse in trust? How can we design practical, participatory “living labs” for organizational reflection and facilitate convivial, playful environments for working together?“Certainly one of the world’s leading figures on ethics in practical applications.”— Fionn Delahunty, NLP Lab at University of GalwayAs we frequently observe on this show, we need to rework our ideas of agency and identity to adapt them to advances in our understanding of complex systems. Decisions emerge within a nexus of nested, multi-scale dynamics, and our species flourishes or fumbles in intricate symbiotic relationships with the collective intelligences embodied in cultural technologies like states, markets, corporations, and social clubs — beings that, by any reasonable account, live in worlds alien to our own lived experience and demonstrate their own goals and values. Getting them to behave in ways that nourish us requires a much more nuanced theory of change than that which created them in the first place, perhaps even a radically different vision of the links between biology, psychology, society, and environment. And given that AI is a beast of a similar order to these other “egregores” — the entities of collective computation that arise from our efforts to coordinate at scale and then impose their own top-down causal influence on our thoughts and actions — learning how to align individual and organizational purpose can give us profound insight into how to live well alongside (or in the proverbial guts of) newer, more obvious forms of non-human intelligence like LLMs that amplify our biases through lossy compression and feedback, and shape both our desires and view of adjacent possibility.In other words, the “intent-to-action” gap in corporate ethics and the “paperclip machine” problem in our built wilderness of black box super-machines are structurally identical. And if we can “tame” the secular gods of the modern industrial era , our self-domesticated species may actually still get a chance at living in a zoo of our own choosing.If you are caught in a system of technologically mediated social dilemmas — and who isn’t? — this will speak to you, and I’m excited to share it.✨ If you enjoy this podcast, please consider liking, subscribing, and commenting wherever you listen: YouTube • Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Etc.✨ Become a member for access to our study group and community calls, and for those recordings — including the excellent raps we had recently on Alexander Douglas and Wendell Berry.✨ Become a founding member for access my five-week science and philosophy course at Weirdosphere and the raw recordings of every unreleased episode! (Anyone can chat with my course transcripts in a dedicated Google Notebook here.)This is a reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a member:✨ Browse and buy all of the books we discuss on the show at Bookshop.org✨ Contact me with inquiries or hire me as a consultantReferenced & RelatedWhat’s trust got to do with it?Nathan KinchThree reasons why AI ethics is strugglingNathan KinchIf ‘Trust is a must’ for AI governance — here are 3 things regulators should doHilary SutcliffeBluesky and enshittificationCory DoctorowEnvironmentally Mediated Social DilemmasSylvie Estrela et al.FLD On Navigating Complexity in Education: A Conversation with Dave SnowdenTim LoganThe corporate cultivation of digital resignationNora Draper & Joseph TurowWilliam GibsonJohn VervaekeRajiv SethiMat MytkaNadia LeeBarronness Onora O’Neill This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michaelgarfield.substack.com/subscribe

Alex Komoroske, CEO and co-founder of Common Tools and former product leader at Google and Stripe, outlines privacy-first, decentralized computing and resonant computing as an alternative to centralized AI. He discusses embedding policies with data, confidential compute, emergent folksonomies, LLMs as translators of thought, ambient interfaces, and ephemeral, user-owned software. Quick, provocative, and future-focused.

Layman Pascal, metamodern spiritual thinker and meditation teacher, blends shamanic sensibility with integral theory. He discusses our shift to a biodigital, stranger world. Short takes cover cultivating “weirdness specialists,” navigating compressed timescales, building civic spirit, and raising “prodigies of uncertainty.” Conversation is playful, strange, and futurity-focused.

Carl Hayden Smith, an Associate Professor of Media and founder of the Museum of Consciousness, dives into fascinating topics like hyperhumanism, where technology nurtures human abilities rather than replaces them. He discusses the impact of psychedelics on creativity, the dangers of escapism via tech, and the importance of human connection. Carl emphasizes integrating insights from journaling and psychedelic experiences into daily life, while exploring the future of culture beyond screens. His vision of 'hobbitism' presents a refreshing shift towards a multi-species society.

Rimma Boshernitsan, founder of DIALOGUE and advisor to Fortune 500 companies, explores the fascinating realm of co-intelligence. She discusses the transformative potential of integrating human, machine, and planetary intelligence. The conversation delves into how social media shapes identity and connection, and whether AI can democratize creativity. Rimma also reflects on communal living and the implications of sending civilians to space, all while emphasizing the importance of intuition in leadership. A thought-provoking journey into future possibilities!

In this engaging discussion, Sam Arbesman, a scientist-in-residence at Lux Capital, unpacks themes from his book, The Magic of Code. He explores the enchanting blend of code and human experience, likening code to both magic and a liberal art. Sam emphasizes the importance of open-source development and iterative experimentation, illuminating the interplay between simplicity and complexity. He also probes the relationship between technology and biology, and advocates for a conscious approach to our digital tools, embracing the ephemeral nature of software for greater present impact.

Larry Muhlstein, a former UC Berkeley research fellow in machine learning, discusses his Holistic Technology Project aimed at aligning technology with care and love. He dives into the concept of 'Technological Love,' exploring how technologies can foster understanding and mutual respect. Larry warns against societal 'disease' caused by economic incentives and urges a shift toward shared truths to combat deception. He also highlights ways to scale care from local to global governance through practices like meditation and gratitude.

Taryn Southern, a creative technologist and early YouTube star, dives into the wild world of exponential technology. She reflects on her tech journey from Wichita to the digital frontier, revealing how technology can expand human experiences and bridge conversations. Taryn discusses AI's potential in personal growth and facilitating difficult dialogues, while navigating the complexities of tech's impact on identity and belonging. She also emphasizes the importance of ethical dialogue in AI, suggesting diverse voices for shaping its future.

Chaim Gingold, a brilliant computer scientist and game designer known for co-creating Spore and authoring 'Building SimCity,' dives into the fascinating world of simulations. He discusses how SimCity transcends mere gaming to reshape societal concepts, highlighting the interplay of creativity and play in technological engagement. The conversation touches on the historical evolution from analog to digital, exploring the impact of simulation on political decision-making and the ethical responsibilities of tech companies. Gingold encourages us to reflect on how simulations can empower or mislead.