Beyond Words Ep. 14 | Inside the Language Network: Brains, AI, and What Words Really Mean

Is language the same as thought? Dr. Idan Blank (UCLA) joins Beyond Words to explain why the answer is no — and why that matters for neuroscience, speech therapy, and AI. We explore the brain’s language network, how large language models learn, why Broca’s area is misunderstood, and what this all means for testing, development, and the future of cognition.

Topics include:

• Why language and thought are separate systems
• How ChatGPT challenges our assumptions
• What Broca’s area really does
• Implications for speech therapy and assessment
• What LLMs and infants both tell us about language learning

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