Event Summary

The recent book "A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains" by Max Bennett is a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the nature of intelligence, from its evolutionary origins to its potential future. Bennett draws on philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence to provide a rich and nuanced understanding of this complex phenomenon. As we come towards the end of the Austin Forum’s “AI April,” reading and discussing this book will help us understand more about both human and artificial intelligence, the similarities and differences, and the implications of artificial intelligence for the future of humanity.

This event is open to everyone, as active discussion participants and as passive listeners. Austin Forum executive director Jay Boisseau will provide a summary of the book and moderate a discussion of its key points and main themes. We encourage everyone to read the book in advance (especially for discussion), but it is not required. We look forward to a thoughtful, lively conversation!

Moderator

Jay Boisseau, Executive Director, Austin Forum on Technology & Society and CEO, Vizias

Jay Boisseau is an experienced, recognized leader and strategist in advanced computing technologies, with over 25 years in the field. Jay is the executive director and founder of The Austin Forum on Technology & Society, which he created in 2006 and is the leading monthly technology outreach and engagement event in Austin--and now attracts national and international attendees online. The Austin Forum is one of the pillars of the Austin tech scene, providing connections to information, ideas, collaborations, and community overall. In addition, Jay is CEO, co-founder (June 2014), and a partner in Vizias, a small team of passionate professionals with expertise in high-performance computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI), technology community building, and technology outreach & event planning. Vizias staff lead, execute, and support the Austin Forum through Vizias Research, Education, and Outreach, a non-profit dedicated to using technology for positive social impact. Jay has held previous leadership positions at Dell Technologies, the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) at The University of Texas at Austin, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and the Arctic Region Supercomputing Center. He received his doctorate in astronomy from UT Austin, and his undergraduate degree in astronomy and physics from the University of Virginia. For Jay's full professional bio, visit here.