24 January – Human-level AI – what are the risks?

Human-level AI can perform every task that a human can. In this debate, we discuss whether this is even possible, what the risks are to develop such AI (including whether it might even cause our extinction) and what we could do about it (including the Dutch government). We have seen some very quick development whereby AI outsmarted us. It is not yet human-level AI as it can often do only one task, the one it is programmed for, but it showcases that we are rapidly developing that way. The questions that are being discussed debate if this is a desirable outcome, what it would cause and potential solutions to mitigate the risks.

Bennie Mols is a science journalist (including for NRC Handelsblad), author, speaker and moderator. He specialises in artificial intelligence, robots, digital trends and Alan Turing. With his background as a PhD in physics and graduate philosopher, he offers a unique, multidisciplinary perspective on trends in the digitalisation of society. He regularly comments on radio and TV on current topics in artificial intelligence and robotics. In June 2023 he will publish a new book on the collaboration between human and artificial intelligence: “Slim, slimmer, slimst – Hoe kunstmatige intelligentie de mens een turboboost geeft”. He is also author of the successful popular science books Turings tango (on artificial intelligence) and Hallo robot (on robotics).

Otto is the founder and director of the Existential Risk Observatory. He has a background in Physics and has worked as an engineer and data scientist on the energy transition. He also founded and sold a start-up company in smart charging. When working on the energy transition, he realized that there are even bigger challenges out there: the existential risks. This is why he started the Existential Risk Observatory, a nonprofit with the aim of reducing human extinction risk by informing the public debate.

This debate is both open for people that have quite some knowledge and those of you that haven’t heard about anything before. The debate will take place in English. The location for the debate is Dudok Den Haag located at 1A Hofweg in The Hague. The debate starts at 19:30 until 20:30, but you can already come from 19:00 onwards. Free entry. You can reserve a ticket or just come by on Tuesday the 24th of January.