This week on The Digital Life, we chat about the next step in art and AI. While AI has certainly been used to create artwork like the Next Rembrandt project, these pieces have been more curiosity or proof-of-concept. But, is the art world really ready for pieces generated by Artificial Intelligence? We’ll find out this fall, in October, when Christie’s New York — a branch of the British auction house, founded in 1766 — sells an AI-produced work of for the first time. The print itself was created by an algorithm developed by the French art collective Obvious. Is AI the new tool for artists? Join us as we discuss.

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Is the Art Market Ready to Embrace Work Made by Artificial Intelligence? Christie’s Will Test the Waters This Fall

On The Digital Life this week, we chat about synthetic biology and the new categories of emergent life that will result from its practice. The work of synthetic biologists is changing the way that life evolves. How can we sort through the new categories of life that will be designed by humans, not necessarily evolved through natural selection? And what is the nature and role of digital information — genetic data that will now define a blueprint of a newly designed life form? Join us as we discuss.

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If we made life in a lab, would we understand it differently?

On The Digital Life this week, we chat with special guest Katja Grace from AI Impacts, whose research is focused is the future of AI. Where will AI be in 10 years and what kind of impact will it have on the world? The buzz now is that deep learning will increasingly automate knowledge work. AI and automation will change creative fields, from research science to journalism, fiction writing to graphic design, software engineering to management activities. Join us as we discuss.

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AI Impacts

Experts Predict When Artificial Intelligence Will Exceed Human Performance

When Will AI Exceed Human Performance? Evidence from AI Experts

On The Digital Life this week, we chat about the Department of Homeland Security’s new cyber defense organization. The National Risk Management Center will be in charge of coordinating efforts to prevent hackers from targeting key US economic and other assets including the country’s power grids, energy infrastructure, and importantly, its electoral system during the midterm elections. The new organization will work closely with private companies to tackle the wide variety of cyber threats facing the nation. Join us as we discuss.

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DHS Will Shore Up Cybersecurity for America’s Infrastructure

On The Digital Life this week, we chat about capitalism and the problems that it causes as we’re creating a digital future. Digital capitalism, as it stands, is not only an extension of an unfair and oppressive system, it’s actually making things worse. If indeed technology is leverage, we’re not using it for solving the right problems. We may have Fair Trade coffee, but we certainly don’t have Fair Trade mobile phones, software, or digital services. Join us as we discuss.