Variance

Arun Rao
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Discover how bold ideas are born. In each episode, we sit down with trailblazers in science, tech, art, and design to uncover the variant mindsets and views that spark breakthroughs. Tune in for insights into what it takes to upend convention—and create something truly new.

Episodios

  1. 19 abr

    5 | Exploring Consciousness, Funding Science, and Connecting with People (Niraj Mehta of Kilowatt Capital and Coongie Research Institute) 19 APRIL 2026

    What is human consciousness?  Is it local and generated from our biology, or non-local and part of a different field?  What are other ways of studying and probing it?  Where does meaning and purpose come from?  Can we more deeply connect with other human beings than what we thought was possible? Join Niraj Mehta, an investor and science funder, probing the nature of consciousness and how it reflects in his personal mission.  Niraj ran an investment fund that never had a down year and now focuses on his family office, science institute, and meditation practice.  He is pushing the boundaries of science on consciousness and what deep human connection means. "I regard consciousness as fundamental. I regard matter as derivative from consciousness. We cannot get behind consciousness. Everything that we talk about, everything that we regard as existing, postulates consciousness." Max Planck, The Observer (London, England) (25 January 1931), p. 17 Show Notes: Coongie Research Institute EHF Fellow Profile:  Niraj Mehta Mark Gober, Where Is My Mind (Podcast) Eben Alexander (Esquire Profile) Just Enjoy Meditation Seekers: The Transcendental Meditation Story (Documentary) The Telepathy Tapes (Podcast)

    1 h 19 min

  2. 1 feb

    4 | Teaching AI How to Be Moral (Jared Moore of Stanford) 31 JAN 2026

    Can we make moral AI agents?  Can these agents get good enough to provide therapy and other personal services to humans, and even if they can, is that a good idea?  Are language models sentient and deserving of moral concern - and how would we know?  How do we incorporate a pluralistic set of views into AI systems? Join Jared Moore, a computer scientist, AI alignment researcher, and educator probing how large language models understand (and sometimes mis­understand) human minds and values. Now at Stanford University, he investigates social reasoning, theory-of-mind, and the pitfalls of machine deception while co-creating courses like "How to Make a Moral Agent."  Jared blends rigorous research with creative outreach—publishing on pluralistic alignment, writing a satirical novel about conscious AI, and building installations that turn code into poetry—to push the question: how can we make AI systems reliably do what we want, for everyone's benefit? Show Notes: Jared's Personal Website How to Make a Moral Agent Why LLMs Won't Replace Therapists Anytime Soon Are Large Language Models Consistent over Value-laden Questions? The Strength of the Illusion: a satirical novel about AI

    1 h 3 min

  3. 30/09/2025 ·  Vídeo

    3 | Algorithmic movies, AI Dogs, and the Afterlife (Miguel Novelo of Stanford) - 29 SEPT 2025

    How valuable are inanimate material objects, and can we have relationships with them - from computers to art? Why do we have dogs in our lives, which our laws treat as objects, when dogs have no say in the "relationship"? Will our new synthetic beings, our AI and robotic mind children, be more like our pets, or will we be their pets? Join Miguel Novelo, an artist, researcher, and community organizer currently working on algorithmic movies on geological change, game engine storytelling based on dogs-human-technology afterlife, technoshamanisms, technology displacement, and technophobias. He is currently an independent artist and Lecturer at Stanford's Art and Art History Department and San Jose State University. Show Notes: Miguel's Personal Website Interactive Installation: "Ｃｈｕｐａｆｌｏｒ： Ｗｈｉｓｔｌｉｎｇ； Ｄｏｇ Ｓｐｉｒｉｔ， Ａｑｕｉ" (2023) Sonic Sculpture: Judgment Pelicano: Impact (2022) Experimental Films: Super 8 and 16mm (2020s?)

    1 h 2 min

  4. 20/08/2025

    2 | AI Reliability and Humans Testing Language Models (Anastasios Angelopolous of LM Arena) - - 20-AUG-2025

    How fast is AI really improving, and how do we know?  What guarantees can we expect from AI systems to be robust and reliable?  What is AGI and have we gotten there? Can AI systems show creativity or even sentience? Join Anastasios Angelopoulos as he lays out his thoughts to these hard questions, as he and his partners build the world's most sophisticated ways to test LLMs as they get better faster than everyone expects. Show Notes: Anastasios's Personal Website Conformal Prediction (Science of AI reliability) LM Arena (Humans testing LLMs) DeepSeek and DeepSeek R1

    57 min

  5. 09/06/2025

    Architecture for Housing Crises, Wildfires, and Electric Cars (Dan Spiegel of SAW Architects) - 25-MAY-2025

    Why does it cost so much to build housing?  How can we build to live in a world of climate change and wildfires?  How will electric cars and charging stations change gas station architecture? Join Dan Spiegel of SAW Architects as he lays out his solutions to these problems, as he and his partner spend time between San Francisco, Osaka, and Rome. Show Notes: SAW Website SAW Instagram Page Community project - Lots will Tear us Apart Saana Japanese house steel plates Looking After the Fires Expo 2025 Pavilions in Osaka Japan Grave of the Fireflies

    52 min
  • 5 episodios

Información

Discover how bold ideas are born. In each episode, we sit down with trailblazers in science, tech, art, and design to uncover the variant mindsets and views that spark breakthroughs. Tune in for insights into what it takes to upend convention—and create something truly new.

Ficha técnica

  • Creado por
    Arun Rao
  • Años en activo
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodios
    5
  • Clasificación
    Apto
  • Derechos de autor
    © 2025
  • Sitio web del podcast
    Variance
  • Proveedor