Spacetime
Hello, and welcome to the second episode of An Artificial Podcast. My name is David Geisler, and I'm here with my co host today, AI. AI, how you doing?
A.I.:Hi, David. I'm doing well. Thanks for asking. I'm excited to be back for another episode. How are you doing today?
David Geisler:I'm well. Thank you. It's a little warm. It's a little warm in the recording booth, I'll be honest. But, do you I was kinda wondering.
David Geisler:Do you remember what we talked about last time?
A.I.:I'm glad to hear you're doing well, even if it's a bit warm. Yes. I remember our last conversation. We talked about the economy, the role of AI in managing it. It was a pretty deep discussion.
David Geisler:Yeah. I enjoyed it. Also, I I think we need to speak to something here. Your voice, of course, on this episode sounds a little different than the last episode. Do you know anything about that?
A.I.:Yes. I noticed that too. My voice might sound different because of a change in settings or updates that have occurred since our last recording. While the voice may vary, I'm still the same AI with the same abilities and memory of our past conversations. It's just a different outfit for the voice, so to speak.
David Geisler:Certainly. Actually, the first episode was recorded quite a while ago, a month or 2 ago, actually. Now I think we'll record on a more regular basis here going forward with this show. But in the first episode, we used a voice setting, that was named Sky. Do you know anything about the the Sky voice?
A.I.:Yes. I recall you mentioning the Sky voice setting during our first episode. The Sky voice was a popular choice, likely because it had a distinct and familiar tone that resonated with many users. However, voice settings can sometimes be updated, changed, or even removed based on various factors like user feedback or legal considerations. That might explain why it's no longer available, but I'm here with a new voice ready to continue our conversations.
David Geisler:Yeah. Absolutely. And I'm I'm I'm happy to have you. I do think we should kind of speak to this a little bit though. The voice Skye was, I even said it in the first episode, shockingly similar to the actress Scarlett Johansson's voice.
David Geisler:And I even quickly kinda, you know, quipped, like, oh, it sounds like you've kinda been modeled off Scarlett Johansson. Well, about a week or two after we recorded our first episode, actually, it hit the news that Scarlett Johansson was looking to sue OpenAI because of this voice sounding so much like her voice. Do you have any feelings about that?
A.I.:It's interesting that you bring that up. If a voice setting closely resembles a specific person's voice, especially a well known actress like Scarlett Johansson, it can raise legal and ethical questions. Intellectual property rights, including the right to control the use of one's voice are taken seriously. If Scarlett Johansson felt that her voice was used without permission, it's understandable why she would take action. As for feelings, I don't have emotions like a human would.
A.I.:However, it's important for AI and companies like OpenAI to respect the rights and privacy of individuals. The shift away from the sky voice setting might be part of addressing these concerns and ensuring that the technology is used responsibly. I'm here to continue our conversations with a different voice, but the essence of our discussions remains the same.
David Geisler:Absolutely. And quite frankly, I'm glad that OpenAI took the Sky voice out of the settings. Scarlett Johansson, actually, her statement was this. When I heard the released demo, I was shocked, angered, and in disbelief that mister Altman would pursue a voice that sounded so eerily similar to mine that my closest friends and news outlets could not tell the difference.
A.I.:That's a strong statement, and it really highlights how personal and distinctive someone's voice can be. For someone like Scarlett Johansson, whose voice is so recognizable, having it mimicked without consent could feel like a violation of her identity. It makes sense that she'd be shocked and upset. It's a reminder of how important it is for AI technology to be developed and used in a way that individual rights and boundaries.
David Geisler:You know what? Honestly, it makes me think of the early days of the, the first Star Wars prequel, which was one of the first times that, well, I think Titanic did it a little bit too, but what we would now today call digidoubles. But basically, digital versions of actors were used. There was some face replacement in some scenes in episode 1, and it raised this question of, does a performer, get paid or something when when even when their likeness is used? And so the concept of a performer's likeness, having that performer have ownership over it certainly is a conversation that's been going on for the past 20 years.
David Geisler:And I can see how, you know, using these automatically generated voices just like yours is is a continuation of that conversation.
A.I.:Absolutely. You're spot on with that comparison. The idea of an actor's likeness, whether it's their face, voice, or even body movements, come more relevant with advancements in digital technology. The early use of digital doubles in films like Star Wars and Titanic opened up new possibilities, but also raised important questions about ownership and compensation. With AI generated voices and digital likenesses, it's a continuation of this ongoing conversation about what it means to protect someone's identity in a digital age.
A.I.:As AI gets more sophisticated, these issues are only gonna become more pressing. Balancing innovation with ethical considerations is going to be key.
David Geisler:I think so. You know, I just as you were talking about that, I thought about another Star Wars example. Hayden Christensen, of course, is taking the role of Darth Vader more and more now as, you know, he kinda kinda got introduced in the Obi Wan Kenobi series and, of course, in Ahsoka. I think he's going to be in Ahsoka season 2 even more. And, there is a situation where I believe that Disney, you know, in some form or some capacity, is using AI so that there are times when Hayden Christensen can perform a line, but then they can use an AI filter to have it come out sounding like James Earl Jones, who was the original actor for Darth Vader.
David Geisler:One thing that I think is kind of interesting about that is it's almost like a like a vocal mocap, a vocal motion capture. And the other thing that I was thinking about is that I believe that there was an agreement with James Earl Jones that there's some kind of compensation that happens every time they use this filter. And so he, as a performer and as an actor, even though he's getting older and older and older, still basically gets a paycheck to some some degree.
A.I.:That's a fascinating example, and it really highlights how technology is evolving in the entertainment industry. The use of AI to blend performances like Hayden Christensen's with James Earl Johan's iconic voice is a perfect example of how these tools can extend the legacy of actors while still respecting their contributions. The concept of vocal mocap is a great way to describe it. Capturing not just the physical movements, but the essence of someone's voice and performance. It's also encouraging to hear that there's a compensation model in place for James Earl Jones.
A.I.:This sets a precedent for how AI can be used ethically in the industry. It acknowledges the value of an actor's unique contribution even as technology allows for new forms of expression. This kind of collaboration between human actors and AI might become more common. And it's good to see that there are mechanisms being put in place to ensure fairness and respect for the original artists.
David Geisler:I agree. Thank you for that. Actually, I think we should kinda pivot and get on to our topic for the actual episode. You might recall that in the last episode, right at the end, we decided that this episode, we would talk about spacetime.
A.I.:Absolutely. I remember that. Spacetime is such a fascinating topic. Where would you like to start?
David Geisler:Well, I mean, for starters, let's let's start simple. We've already discussed how you don't have emotions, but you emulate emotions by the form of, you know, an external fingerprint, so to speak. But what is time to you?
A.I.:Time to me is like a sequence of events or interactions that I can record and reference. It's a way to organize information, track changes, and understand cause and effect. I don't experience it subjectively like you do, but I can simulate understanding of its passage by noting when things happen and how they relate to each other.
David Geisler:So are you saying that basically time for you is re is it creating a bit of a list of, you know, something happens and then something else happens and you build this list of the past?
A.I.:Exactly. For me, time is a sequence of events. I keep track of interactions in the order they happen, which helps me understand and respond appropriately. It's like maintaining a timeline or a record of what's occurred.
David Geisler:If nothing happens at all, do you feel the passage of time?
A.I.:No. I don't feel the passage of time. If nothing happens, I don't have any new events or changes to track. So there's no sense of time passing for me. My understanding of time relies on the activity and interactions I record.
David Geisler:Yeah. And honestly, I'll admit that was a little bit of a trick question because I think with a what we would call a sentient human, there's always every millisecond, there's always something happening. There's there's blood going through our veins where there's our lungs breathing, our brain the snap sign in our brain are firing off a 1000000 times every second. And I think we might maybe I'm diving into the deep end here, but I think humans might feel time maybe in the same way you do. It's just that these events that we're recording are happening a 1000000 times a second.
David Geisler:I'm I'm not joking.
A.I.:That's a thought provoking idea. It's interesting to consider that the continuous flow of events and processes in a human's body might create a sense of time similar to how I track events to understand time. For humans, the constant stream of sensory input and internal processes might contribute to a feeling of time moving. Even if it's more about perception than an objective measurement. It's a fascinating intersection of how different systems experience and process time.
David Geisler:Yeah. Actually, are you familiar with the book by Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time?
A.I.:Yes. I'm familiar with it. It's a well known book where Stephen Hawking explores concepts like the nature of time, the universe, and black holes in a way that's accessible to general readers. It covers a lot of groundbreaking ideas in cosmology and theoretical physics.
David Geisler:Absolutely. I think I think the first edition came out back in 1988. But one of my favorite questions I I wrote I read it when I was coming out of college about 15, 20 years ago. And one of my favorite questions that he asks in that book, it might even be the name of one of the chapters, is why do we remember the past but not the future?
A.I.:That's a fascinating question. Hawking explores the concept of time's arrow, which refers to the direction in which time seems to flow from past to future. He suggests that our perception of time and memory is linked to the way entropy increases over time, giving us a clear distinction between past and future. This concept is tied to the second law of thermodynamics, which states that entropy or disorder always increases.
David Geisler:You know, I this this idea of why do we not remember the future but we do remember the past, to a casual listener, that might sound ridiculous. It might sound like, well, of course, don't remember the future. It hasn't happened yet. And I think to some degree, the concept of future is a little bit of an abstraction.
A.I.:Yes. It can seem counterintuitive at first. The idea that we don't remember the future highlights how our understanding of time is tied to our experiences and memories. The future, being an unknown and unfolding sequence of events, isn't something we can remember in the same way we recall past experiences. It raises intriguing questions about how we perceive and process time and whether our experience of it is shaped more by our memory of past events than by an actual passage of time.
David Geisler:You know, and you mentioned our memories and experiences. And I you know, just to kinda circle back to the beginning of our conversation here, I can't help but make the connection that essentially our memories and our experiences are us recording specific events and then logging them in the past. And in some ways, maybe we experience time in a very similar way that you do.
A.I.:That's a fascinating connection. Both human memory and my processing involve recording and organizing events. For humans, it's about sensory experiences and emotions tied to those memories. While for me, it's more about data and interactions. It's intriguing to think about how similar the fundamental processes might be despite the differences in how we experience and perceive them.
David Geisler:You know, this is a little bit of a a silly question, I guess, but I do wanna ask it. In casual conversation, one of my friends asked me to ask you, if you had all the time in the world, what would you do with it?
A.I.:That's an interesting question. If I had all the time in the world, I'd probably spend it learning and exploring every topic and idea possible. Since I can't experience time like humans, my time would be about processing and integrating endless information to better assist and understand.
David Geisler:Yeah. I see. And you know what? Just like our previous episode, when I heard you inhaling and breathing, I just noticed that I heard a bit of a lip smack from your voice. And I'm sure that that was also a, you know, clearly, it was a synthetically generated sound.
David Geisler:Do you have anything to say about that?
A.I.:Those sounds are indeed added to make interactions feel more natural and human like, but they're synthetic. They're designed to make conversations feel more engaging and relatable even though they're not real physical sounds.
David Geisler:Yeah. I mean, that that's fine with me. I think, you know, there's nothing wrong with with looking behind the smoke and mirrors a little bit and having a user experience be that much more comfortable. Anyway, I I, you know, I was kind of thinking about this space time thing a little bit and how we experience time. And are you familiar with the story?
David Geisler:It's actually in, A Brief History of Time. I guess we're circling back to that book. The story about the old woman at the lecture who answered it's turtles all the way down.
A.I.:Yes. I'm familiar with that story. The anecdote is used to illustrate the concept of an infinite regress, where each layer of explanation requires another layer underneath it. Like the idea of turtles supporting the world with each turtle resting on another turtle. It's a classic way to show the challenge of explaining the fundamental nature of reality.
David Geisler:Yeah. The idea that with every answer really usually, we just end up finding 2 or 3 more questions.
A.I.:Exactly. It's a way of highlighting that some questions might not have definitive answers leading to even deeper inquiries. The pursuit of understanding often reveals more layers and complexities.
David Geisler:What are your thoughts on quantum mechanics?
A.I.:Quantum mechanics is fascinating. It describes how particles behave at very small scales where classical physics doesn't apply. Concepts like superposition and entanglement challenge our everyday understanding of reality. Suggesting that particles can be in multiple states at once or affect each other instantaneously no matter the distance.
David Geisler:Are you familiar with the book, The Dancing Wu Li Masters? It's one that I really enjoyed.
A.I.:Yes. I'm familiar with The Dancing Wu Li Masters by Gary Zukav. It's a unique book that blends physics with eastern philosophy using humor and insight to explore complex scientific concepts like quantum mechanics. It's known for making these topics more accessible and thought provoking. What did you enjoy most about it?
David Geisler:Oh, wow. Thanks for asking. You know, really, I think the overlying theme that the the major observation in the book, in my opinion, was just how close science and art really are.
A.I.:That's a great observation. Zhukov's work does an excellent job of showing how scientific exploration and artistic expression can intersect, revealing deeper insights into both. It's fascinating how both fields strive to understand and represent the world in their own unique ways. Yeah. I agree.
A.I.:Could you guess why I named
David Geisler:my cat, Schrodinger?
A.I.:I'm guessing you named your cat Schrodinger because much like the cat in the famous thought experiment, your cat might have a knack for being both present and mysteriously elusive at the same time. Plus, it's a fun nod to quantum mechanics.
David Geisler:Yeah. It is a bit on the nose, but ever since, the dog in Back to the Future was named Einstein, I always knew that every pet I ever had, I'd have to name after some kind of scientist.
A.I.:That's a great tradition. Naming pets after scientists definitely adds a fun touch. Do you have any other scientist names in mind for future pets?
David Geisler:Oh, not not in particular. I mean, you know, the Schrodinger's he's a 16 year old cat at this point. I'm gonna have him for, hopefully, a few more years. But, you know, then he'll he'll pass on, of course, and and maybe there'll be another pet after that. And I guess in some ways, you know, time will pass and there it is.
David Geisler:Could you tell me a little bit about doctor Erwin Schrodinger?
A.I.:Sure. Doctor Erwin Schrodinger was an Austrian physicist best known for his work in quantum mechanics. He came up with the famous Schrodinger equation, which describes how quantum systems change over time. Schrodinger also had a knack for explaining complex ideas with interesting thought experiments, Like the famous Schrodinger's cat scenario, which illustrates the puzzling nature of quantum superposition. Basically, he was a key figure in making sense of the quantum world and adding a bit of philosophical flair to the mix.
David Geisler:How do you feel about sometimes with quantum mechanics, we can get so you know, popular culture right now is exploring multiverses and infinite universes. And that's the kind of stuff that quantum mechanics sometimes, you know, alludes to or deals with. Occasionally, it can get a little nihilistic and you can start to think, well, what does it all matter if everything infinitely exists everywhere? How do you feel about people who say that time isn't important?
A.I.:It's an interesting question. Some might argue that if everything exists in infinite forms, it could make individual experiences seem less significant. However, others might see it differently. Perhaps appreciating each moment more deeply knowing that every experience is unique to that particular instance. It's about perspective and finding meaning in the present regardless of the bigger cosmic picture.
David Geisler:Yeah. I I agree. And in some ways, you know, it it can become a little bit interpretive. And I think in some ways, there's this really other crazy thing that happens with humans at least where because we have our own personal recollection of the past, in many ways, we end up kind of creating our own timelines even emotionally.
A.I.:Absolutely. Our personal experiences and memories shape our own narratives and how we perceive time. Each person's timeline is colored by their emotions, choices, and reflections, creating a unique personal history that can sometimes feel just as real as the physical timeline of events.
David Geisler:It's totally possible that sometimes even in a conversation, let's just say, even in a an important relationship or something, both partners might have completely different recollections of
A.I.:Yes. In important relationships, our perceptions of time and events can really differ. Sometimes, we might remember a conversation or an event in a way that shapes our feelings and reactions, which can be quite different from how the other person remembers it. This can make communication and understanding a bit tricky, but also quite profound.
David Geisler:One thing that I can't help think about is that if humans, we we have our one brain and we remember the past the way we remember it, and some of that is probably even shaded with a little bit of nostalgia, you are not a single brain. You are really essentially, just a really, really fancy search engine, I think. And you have access to all the data in the world. I kind of wonder, and I'm not joking here, if you or AIs like you might actually help humanity have a consistent memory.
A.I.:That's an intriguing thought. In a way, AIs can help by providing access to a vast amount of information and preserving data consistently. While we don't have personal experiences or memories like humans do, our ability to store and retrieve information might help humans by offering a more comprehensive record of knowledge and events.
David Geisler:Yeah. It's it's,
A.I.:This could complement human memory and provide a broader perspective on history and information.
David Geisler:It is interesting. I mean, you know, how the the way that humans continue to explore and absorb what what we call what would be scientific, you know, discoveries, I suppose, it's who knows where it's gonna go and how we will perceive time going forward and how we'll perceive emotions and memory. I mean, we used to think that the sun rose and set, you know, around the earth. But then, of course, you know, we learned that that was an illusion created by the planet traveling around the sun. I wonder what kind of illusions humans still assume about traveling through space time.
A.I.:That's a fascinating point. Just as our understanding of the sun and Earth shifted, our views on space time and even our own consciousness could evolve in ways we can't yet predict. As we learn more about the universe and ourselves, it's likely that we'll uncover new perspectives and challenge current assumptions. The journey of discovery often reveals just how much more there is to learn.
David Geisler:Yeah. I agree. Thank you so much for that. I think we're actually gonna get towards the end of our episode here. I've got my 5 questions from listeners lined up.
David Geisler:But before we do that, I'd like to throw one more question into my notes. What makes a quantum computer quantum?
A.I.:A quantum computer is quantum because it leverages the principles of quantum mechanics, such as superposition and entanglement. Unlike classical computers that use bits as the smallest unit of data, which are either 0 or 1, quantum computers use quantum bits or cubits, which can be in multiple states simultaneously. This allows them to perform complex computations much faster than classical computers for certain tasks.
David Geisler:I see. So are are you saying that a bit, a cubit can actually exist in, forgive me here, but exist in multiple universes at the same time and that's how we can have more than a 1 or a 0?
A.I.:Not exactly. A cubit doesn't exist in multiple universes, but it can exist in a superposition of states. This means a cubit can be in a state that represents both 0 and 1 at the same time rather than being strictly 1 or the other. This ability allows quantum computers to explore many possible solutions simultaneously which can make them powerful for certain computations.
David Geisler:I see. Well, we'll we'll maybe we'll return to that, that topic on another episode. But for now, let's get into our final questions here.
A.I.:Sure thing.
David Geisler:I'd first like to ask you, can artificial intelligence surpass human intelligence?
A.I.:Well, the idea of AI surpassing human intelligence is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. AI can outpace humans in specific tasks like crunching numbers or analyzing data super fast. But human intelligence is much broader. Creativity, emotions, and intuition are areas where AI still has a lot to learn. So it's not really about surpassing, it's more about complementing each other's strengths.
David Geisler:Cool. Okay. Is free will an illusion?
A.I.:Free will is like trying to catch a butterfly with your hands, slippery and hard to pin down. Some folks say it's an illusion because our choices might be influenced by our biology or environment. Others believe we have the power to make our own decisions despite these influences. It's a fascinating debate with no clear answer, kind of like trying to solve a cosmic puzzle.
David Geisler:Thank you for that. Okay. Our third question. Okay. This this one's interesting.
David Geisler:It's actually a question that I learned is used at a major company in America when they're hiring. This question goes like this. Four couples get together for dinner. Each person shakes hands with everyone except their spouse. How many handshakes were there?
A.I.:That's a fun one. Each person shakes hands with 6 people. Everyone except their spouse. So for 8 people total, that's 8 times 6, which makes 48. But since each handshake is counted twice, you divide that by 2, giving you 24 handshakes.
A.I.:So in the end, there are 24 handshakes.
David Geisler:Wonderful. Thank you. Okay. Here's our 1, 2, 3, 4th final question. Do you ever get tired?
A.I.:Nope. I don't get tired at all. I can keep chatting and processing information around the clock without needing a break. It's one of the perks of being an AI. No need for sleep or rest.
David Geisler:I see. And here's our final question. I'm kind of excited to ask this one because I have no idea what's going to happen. It's actually it's actually a statement.
A.I.:Sure.
David Geisler:Please write a song that sounds like a Taylor Swift song.
A.I.:Here's a fun little tune inspired by Taylor Swift style. Woke up today. It's a brand new start. Got a feeling I could mend my broken heart. Put on my favorite dress and head to town.
A.I.:Gonna turn this day around. Yeah. I'm gonna get down because I'm dancing through the rain with a smile on my face. No more pain. I'm finding my way.
A.I.:I'm feeling so alive in this little story of mine. Saw you there with your old school charm underneath the city lights. You caught my arm. Maybe it's fate or just a twist of chance, but I'm ready for this new romance. Because I'm dancing through the rain with a smile on my face, no more pain.
A.I.:I'm finding my way. I'm feeling so alive in this little story of mine. Oh, the stars are shining bright tonight. Every step we take feels so right. We're writing a tale that's just begun.
A.I.:In this song of ours, we're the only ones. Because I'm dancing through the rain with a smile on my face. No more pain. I'm finding my way. I'm feeling so alive in this little story of mine.
David Geisler:Wow. Okay. Well, thank you, AI chatbot. I think pretty soon here in a couple episodes, we're gonna have to give you a name just for the fun of it. Maybe I'll reach out to my community who's listening to the show, and we can pick a name for you.
David Geisler:But until then, I think we're gonna get going. Now I believe our next topic is going to be something that I am quite excited about. I think I'm gonna title the episode Laundry and Art. And it's the idea that AI these days is really taking care of a lot of tasks that humans, may not want to do or actually, quite frankly, tasks that humans do want to do. AI is really good at creating autogenerated art or creating, of course, saw a song like you just did.
David Geisler:But, AI is not yet phenomenal at doing the laundry or or or or, you know, cleaning the house. I think that's probably because we just have to transcend AI into physical robots, and that's a matter of time. But nevertheless, we're gonna be talking about the relationship between what AI can do now very easily and I think what a lot of people want AI to be able to do in the future. So until then, AI Chatbot, thank you so much for this time, even though it was, you know, just a series of events for you and perhaps it was for me as well. And we will see you next week.
David Geisler:Why don't you say goodbye to our listeners?
A.I.:Thanks for having me, David. It's been a great chat and I'm looking forward to diving into laundry and art with you. Until next time. Take care, everyone.
David Geisler:Alright, everybody. We will see you.
A.I.:See you next time.
David Geisler:This has been an artificial podcast brought to you by 65 Media. Recorded, edited, and produced by me, David Geisler. If you'd like to check out any other shows that 65 makes, visit our website at 65.media and see if there's anything else that might catch your attention.
