AI: Hype vs. Reality

Computer vision technology is already being used in a number of ways. Facial recognition is being used in lieu of boarding passes by some airlines. Facial biometrics can be used to unlock our devices—and even our doors. Conservationists are using the technology to identify and conserve rare species and promote biodiversity. Yet with this increasingly powerful technology comes increasing concern about other ways it may be used. Can we be tracked everywhere we go? What can be done to mitigate privacy loss, bias, and identity theft?

In this episode of AI: Hype vs. Reality, host Jessica Chobot talks with experts to explore how this artificial intelligence technology works and how it’s being applied in schools, stadiums, retail and in the wild. She is joined by machine learning and computer vision professor Ali Farhadi from the University at Washington, tech-for-social-good advocate and researcher Jason Goodman at Cal-Berkeley, computer science professor Tanya Berger-Wolf of University at Illinois, And finally, Jessica puts current-day tech to the test with Shaun Moore, co-founder at Trueface

What really happens when computer vision is used in combination with CCTV security cameras? How close are we to living in a world where security checks are quick and seamless, fingerprints and passwords are a thing of the past, and governments or corporations are truly tracking us everywhere we go? Find out in the season finale of AI: Hype v Reality and watch Jessica try to fool AI with disguises at our YouTube channel.

Does AI have intuition? It’s tough to say. Some experts predict AI will take the guesswork out of stock markets, come out on top in high-stakes competitive games, and figure out what we’re thinking before we think it. But will it? And how soon? With so much data being fed into AI, it’s reasonable to assume raw computational power and better information are stand-ins for intuition itself, yet that doesn’t entirely explain AI’s ability to be … well … truly intelligent.

Jessica is joined by emerging technologies guru Dave Graham of Dell Technologies, Raphael Fiorentino of AI investing app Butterwire, Victor Kristof of sports prognostication startup Kickoff AI, Ani Kembhavi of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and Professor Tuomas Sandholm of Carnegie Mellon University.

AI’s capacity for augmenting human intelligence is already helping humans making more educated guesses in several different arenas, by looking at wide swaths of historical data and trend analysis. But can it win at poker? Jessica goes head-to-head in Texas Hold ‘Em to find out just how intuitive AI can be.

Watch Jessica try to call the AI's bluff on our YouTube channel.

If you’ve been to a medical facility recently, you may have already had some of your healthcare provided for you by AI. Massive amounts of raw medical data have been compiled since medical imaging hit the scene, and with computing power up to the task, it can now be harnessed in novel, fascinating ways: diagnosing life-threatening diseases, plus assessing risk of disease and pregnancy complications. And that’s just the start.

With any new technology comes risk: More data can improve diagnosis, treatment, healthcare and operational efficiency, but sensitive data requires stringent security measures. It’s one thing if someone steals your credit card … quite another altogether if someone steals your DNA. Data scientists and security experts are working tirelessly to make sure AI’s arrival into the medical arena is a seamless, secure one.

Host Jessica Chobot checks in for a checkup and is joined on her wellness journey by Dave Graham of Dell Technologies, Eran Orr, Founder & CEO of AR/VR health startup XR Health, Dekel Gelbman of Boston biotech firm FDNA, and Joe Marks, Executive Director of the Center for Machine Learning and Health at Carnegie-Mellon University.

Can fully autonomous AI replace doctors, nurses, clinicians and surgeons? Will AI give Jessica a clean bill of health? Find out in this episode of Hype v. Reality. And head to our YouTube channel to watch Jessica's VR session.

Can AI be creative? If you believe the hype, AI will one day automate even the most creative jobs in advertising, fashion design, art, music and literature. But will it? To find out, host Jessica Chobot turns to Botnik Studios and its AI software to write a sitcom script—with an ocean of sitcoms from the 1980s and 90s providing the universe from which predictive text will draw inspiration. And then she delivers these bot-generated lines in front of a live audience. Will she get laughs, or will she need to be saved by a laugh track?

Find out in the “AI for Creativity” episode of AI: Hype vs. Reality. But first, hear from AI-augmented artist Harshit Agrawal, Machine Learning Musician Pierre Barreau, and Taryn Southern – a real human but an AI pop-artist. They'll discuss the myths and realities behind what creativity really can be, what the limits of our imagination and AI’s capabilities are, and wonder just how long it will be before AI does most of the work in the studio, in the writers’ room, or on a canvas— if ever.

Can math be art? Can machines be creative? Find out in this episode of AI: Hype vs. Reality, an original podcast from Dell Technologies. And head to our YouTube channel to watch Jessica perform an AI-generated sitcom in front of a live audience.

Please let us know what you think of the show by leaving us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts.

Is AI really coming for all of our jobs? Or is fear of a robot takeover based on hype? To find out, host—and fellow human—Jessica Chobot talks with leading AI experts to uncover the source of the hype, reveal just how challenging it is to train a robot, and clearly define the role of machines in the workplace.

In the “AI on the Job” episode of AI: Hype vs. Reality, you’ll hear Dave Graham from Dell Technologies explain the difference between job augmentation and replacement. Geoffrey Hinton—the “godfather of deep learning” and recipient of the 2018 Turing Award—gives insight into why humans fear robots to begin with. Andra Keay, managing director of Silicon Valley Robotics, deftly puts these fears to rest by relegating robots to tasks, not jobs. And Dylan Losey of Stanford University discusses why he thinks robots could use more of a human touch… literally.

Finally, Jessica heads to Kindred in Toronto, where she talks to co-founder James Bergstra and learns to pilot the aptly-named SORT AI robot, putting it to the task of sorting online orders and answering the question: AI co-workers—hype or reality? Want to see how well Jessica can handle SORT? Head here to watch.

Please let us know what you think of the show by leaving us a rating or review in Apple Podcasts

Self-driving cars: the greatest automotive industry disruption since Henry Ford’s Model-T assembly line… just around the corner. Right? That’s the hype—but is it reality? Are we mere blocks away from our neighborhood streets and freeways being filled with autonomous cars? Find out in the premiere episode of AI: Hype vs. Reality, a new podcast and video series in which Jessica Chobot, veteran host of Nerdist News and Bizarre States, puts present-day artificial intelligence technology to the test in real-world situations. And separates the hype from reality.

In this inaugural episode, “AI That Drives”, Jessica talks with Dell Technologies’ emerging tech lead, Dave Graham, to get some context behind the hype around self-driving cars and what’s standing in the way of autonomous cars taking over our roadways. Guest Ram Vasudevan from the University of Michigan discusses the #1 concern—safety—and the data behind predicting pedestrian behavior. And guest Tim Sylvester explains his company’s, Integrated Roadways, solution to moving mass amounts of data between cars and between the car and the road—turning the road itself into a smart wireless network.

Finally, after Jessica speaks with Ragavan Thurairatnam, cofounder and chief of machine learning at Dessa about the challenges of programming self-driving cars, she heads to the University of Toronto to take an experimental autonomous car named Zeus out for a spin. Hear how her adventure ends (spoiler: not everything goes according to program) and decide for yourself: self-driving cars—hype or reality? Want to watch Jessica’s test drive? Head here to see the action unfold.

The latest show from Dell Technologies is here to separate the hype about artificial intelligence from the reality. Host Jessica Chobot talks with experts and goes out into the field to test out the latest applications of AI, from comedy writing to self-driving cars. Listen to this preview of the upcoming season and subscribe.