In this episode, we invited Manuel Baltieri, Chief Researcher in Foundations of Agency, Life and Cognition at Araya. Manuel’s research interests include formal definitions of agency, life and cognition. Specifically, his work focuses on questions regarding the differences between agentic vs. non-agentic systems, living vs. non-living organisms, and cognitive vs. non-cognitive architectures. During this discussion, Manuel will talk about his journey in Japan's AI Safety scene and will provide an overview of agentic systems, animism in Japan, and opportunities to keep your eye out for if you're considering working or researching in Japan.