The Narrow Window

Discussing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence.

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AI has the potential to transform work, science, even civilisation. But what's hype, what's real, and how can I change my mindset to take advantage of it? In this podcast we discuss the big picture impacts of AI on different industries, speaking with experts and academics in a range of fields. thenarrowwindow.substack.com

2025-06-02

Trainloads of data

In the season finale of The Narrow Window, I’m joined by Steven Duggan, Vice President of Vollee, to explore how AI is transforming industries - from personalised learning and healthcare to public safety and justice. We dive into the real-world challenges and unexpected breakthroughs, from AI improving cancer screenings and organ transplant decisions to solving cold cases and even exploring the boundaries of AI creativity. This conversation goes beyond hype, offering a nuanced look at the potential and pitfalls of AI in our rapidly changing world. 📚 Topics Covered: * How AI is enabling personalised education and levelling the playing field * Real-world healthcare applications of AI, from cancer detection to transplants * Ethical dilemmas in public safety AI and maintaining privacy * The challenges and hopes for AI’s future creativity and agency 🧠 This episode wraps up an amazing season of exploring AI’s big questions. 🤖 Learn more about Vollee on vollee.ai.📖 You can find Steven’s books on Amazon here.📖 My book The Narrow Window is also available on Amazon: mybook.to/TheNarrowWindow This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenarrowwindow.substack.com

58 min
2025-05-12

What Does It Feel Like To Be Anything?

In this episode, I was joined by Dr. Kelvin McQueen, assistant professor of philosophy at Chapman University, explore the line between mind and matter. From how we measure consciousness in humans to whether plants, animals, and machines have internal experiences, the conversation spans quantum physics, integrated information theory, and the profound ethical dilemmas of building potentially conscious AI. This mind-bending conversation will leave you asking: what is it like to be... anything? Topics Covered: * How philosophers and neuroscientists define consciousness * The Zap & Zip method of measuring conscious states * Integrated Information Theory and degrees of consciousness * Whether AI can (or will) ever suffer—and what it would mean if it could * Quantum superpositions, measurement, and the observer effect * The ethical implications of building conscious systems 🧠 This episode continues our exploration into the science of consciousness—building on last week’s discussion with Laurel Waterman. 📚 Resources & Links: * You can find Dr McQueen’s papers, talks, and interviews on his website here: www.kelvinmcqueen.com * My book The Narrow Window is available on Amazon here: mybook.to/TheNarrowWindow This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenarrowwindow.substack.com

52 min
2025-04-21

Beyond the Brain with Laurel Waterman

In this episode, I was joined by Laurel Waterman - a dedicated researcher in the field of consciousness education - to challenge our assumptions about mind, matter, and the nature of being. We explored the possibility that consciousness might not be confined to the brain, discussing everything from post materialist theories and the transformative power of storytelling to the practical implications of AI on human creativity. Laurel offers a fresh perspective on how open-mindedly including these questions in our education systems can lead to richer, more nuanced discussions about life, death, and what it means to truly be aware. Links: You can find my book, The Narrow Window, on Amazon here - * https://mybook.to/TheNarrowWindow You can find some of Laurel Waterman’s papers on consciousness education here: * https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Laurel-Waterman As well as her publications on Amazon here: * https://www.amazon.sg/s?rh=n%3A6401290051%2Cp_27%3ALaurel%2BWaterman This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenarrowwindow.substack.com

37 min
2025-04-07

How Do You Know That?

Ever wondered how AI really “thinks”? In the latest episode of The Narrow Window, I describe the inner workings of neural networks. We’ll explore shock in Norway and multi-dimensional geometry. If you’re fascinated by the black box mystery of AI, this episode is for you. This episode breaks down:• How AI generates responses using statistical probabilities and a dash of randomness• The surprising complexity behind AI’s knowledge encoding• How to think about impossible-to-visualise higher dimensions For more advanced reading, you can find the paper I mentioned here: https://transformer-circuits.pub/2025/attribution-graphs/biology.html You can also find my book, The Narrow Window, on Amazon here: https://mybook.to/TheNarrowWindow This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenarrowwindow.substack.com

14 min
2025-03-10

Geoengineering with Dr Gernot Wagner

In this thought-provoking conversation, I was joined by climate economist Dr. Gernot Wagner to explore geoengineering as a potential, albeit highly controversial, tool to counter climate change. We discuss: * Solar geoengineering: A “climate painkiller” that might incentivise complacency * The role of AI in refining climate models and guiding policy * Ethical and policy challenges, including moral hazard and unintended consequences Links: You can find my book, The Narrow Window, on Amazon here - * https://mybook.to/TheNarrowWindow You can find books by Dr Wagner here. (If you enjoyed the episode, I particularly recommend Climate Shock and Geoengineering: The Gamble) - * https://gwagner.com/books/ * https://www.amazon.com/Books-Gernot-Wagner/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AGernot%2BWagner This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenarrowwindow.substack.com

44 min
2025-02-24

The Electric Tablecloth Phase

Are we in the ‘electric tablecloth phase’ of AI? Every transformative technology goes through a period of wild speculation, misapplications, and misunderstandings before it becomes second nature. AI is no exception. * In this episode, we explore: * Why new technology often starts with dangerous misapplications * The hype cycle and how AI mirrors past tech revolutions * How misinformation, media narratives, and public perception shape technology adoption * Lessons from the dot-com bubble, early electrification, and 90s internet confusion 📖 Get my book, The Narrow Window, to explore these ideas further: https://mybook.to/TheNarrowWindow This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenarrowwindow.substack.com

19 min
2025-02-10

AI & Unemployment with Dr Morgan Frank

In this episode of The Narrow Window, I sit down with guest Dr. Morgan Frank, Assistant Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, to explore the impact of artificial intelligence on labor markets. We dive into: * How AI is disrupting industries and creating new job redundancies * Whether increased productivity leads to higher wages or just benefits corporations * The democratisation of creative fields—is AI opening doors or devaluing skilled labour? * AI’s role in education and policymaking, and what governments need to do next 🔍 Will AI take your job—or just change it? Listen now to get a data-driven perspective on the future of work. 📖 Check out my book, The Narrow Window, for a deeper dive into AI’s impact on society: mybook.to/TheNarrowWindow You can follow Dr Frank’s work here: * https://sites.pitt.edu/~mrfrank/ * https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HZcCKu8AAAAJ&hl=en 📩 Join the Conversation Have thoughts on AI & jobs?Comment on Substack or tag me on Bluesky! thenarrowwindow.substack.combsky.app/profile/wilimabrook.bsky.social This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenarrowwindow.substack.com

45 min
2025-02-03

Introduction

In this first short episode, I introduce the podcast and why I decided to create it. If you’re interested in reading The Narrow Window, you can find it on Amazon here: https://mybook.to/TheNarrowWindow This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thenarrowwindow.substack.com

4 min

8 avsnitt

AI has the potential to transform work, science, even civilisation. But what's hype, what's real, and how can I change my mindset to take advantage of it? In this podcast we discuss the big picture impacts of AI on different industries, speaking with experts and academics in a range of fields. thenarrowwindow.substack.com

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Discussing the transformative potential of artificial intelligence.
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© Wilim Abrook
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The Narrow Window