When A.I. Comes for Your Purpose in Life
The DailyPlay episode
Show notes
Artificial intelligence has gone from struggling with basic arithmetic to helping solve some of mathematics’ most famous open problems — and the field is reckoning with what that means.
Steven Strogatz, a professor of mathematics at Cornell University, describes the excitement and grief of watching A.I. take on work that gives people a sense of purpose — and asks what could be lost if machines deliver answers without the human struggle, insight and understanding that make solving problems meaningful.
Guest: Steven Strogatz, a professor of mathematics at Cornell University who writes for The New York Times about the future of research.
Background reading:
Mathematics isn’t just a game to let A.I. solve — history shows why.A.I. is mastering the kinds of projects that have long helped to build the careers of young mathematicians. What does that mean for their future?Steven Strogatz’s forthcoming book: Big Math.Photo: Ian C. Bates for The New York Times
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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