What does it really mean to create a machine that thinks? Postdoctoral Researcher Audrey Powers (University of Vienna) speaks with philosophers Tim Crane and Simon Rippon (Central European University) to unpack the concept of Artificial General Intelligence — what it is, whether it exists, and whether it ever could. From programming, neural networks and reinforcement learning to questions of consciousness, cognition, and similarities between human and machine processing, the conversation ranges across some of the deepest problems in philosophy of mind. And with so much hype surrounding AI, they ask: is AGI a genuine scientific frontier, or just the latest marketing exercise — and what are the dangers either way?

Tim Crane is Professor of Philosophy and Pro-Rector for Foresight and Analysis at Central European University. He is also the Director of Research for Knowledge in Crisis.

Simon Rippon is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Central European University. He is also a Key Researcher for Knowledge in Crisis.

This episode was produced by Jason Means and edited by Anni Räty. 

Music by Tuomo Tiisala and Gregor Greslehner.

Special thanks to Tim Crane, Audrey Powers and Simon Rippon.

Questions or comments? Write to [email protected].