Dominic Cummings: is AI already in control?

[@jdg9999]

Like him or not, he's pretty much the only person in British politics thinking at this level. (Which itself raises a lot of questions)

[@dubgsumm6389]

what level is he thinking on? the 'Elite' talent needs to go including him. They have had their run and been shown to be incompetent and morally bankrupt and fail upwards at every level. Take a look at yourselves before the country revolts. for real

[@strandekgrpsystems8106]

The British Peter Thiel

[@barryyoung]

I was literally just about to write the same comment….100% agree

[@andymrkipling]

Perfectly put.

[@matthewbridges3147]

He's a bit of a black swan to be fair, historical and scientific learnedness, disregard for popular opinion, and incisive sense of where systems are breaking down

[@ostevoostevo1592]

Was the long monologue at the start necessary? Cummings finally starts talking at 6:44...They must be a bit short on furniture. Note the stool used as a coffee table! Good improvisation...

[@____uncompetative]

6:17 What might be a desirable trajectory for societies and humans, and what is a likely trajectory? So, pick whichever one you want... What are going to be the signal events and how will people really notice that this is going on?

[@jpevans01]

@@ostevoostevo1592 thanks for the warning!! Was reading the comments after a couple of minutes as intro was rather rambling!

[@nickelmouse451]

Better than using stool as toothpaste

[@TheUtopiaStream]

Ye no it wasn’t. Required lots of manual skipping.

[@mattfoster3316]

@@ostevoostevo1592 I feel so. This wasn't recorded for the spectator, it was filmed for a targeted audience of invitees in the room where the intro was helpful. The coffee table was a choice as to not block the camera. The spectator only got hold of this later. It was always a 'conversation' and not a lecture.

[@BestCosmologist]

It's refreshing to hear a high-level discussion around AI that doesn't ignore the absurdity of the modern political landscape.

[@johnmarshall9575]

Interesting that now Gove is the Editor that Cummings gets promoted. Not that I'm complaining, Cummings speaks sense on a lot of issues.

[@edmundironside9435]

Nelson never liked Cummings

[@Rockall57]

Is it correct Gove nicked named Cummings "Lenin!" 😂

[@frankbrennan1619]

@@edmundironside9435 Snooty Nelson hates Farage even more....

[@frankbrennan1619]

Whatever you think about Cummings, he truly is always worth listening to.....

[@the1beard]

@@frankbrennan1619 Only as a reverse-indicator .. the man is Dunning Kruger personifed .. He was key in the Covid catastrophe .. Sweden was the guide .. he did everything in Panic mode

[@jjhw2941]

Pournelle's iron law of bureaucracy In any bureaucracy, the people devoted to the benefit of the bureaucracy itself always get in control and those dedicated to the goals that the bureaucracy is supposed to accomplish have less and less influence, and sometimes are eliminated entirely.

[@brian6464]

"The behavior of any bureaucratic organization can best be understood by assuming that it is controlled by a secret cabal of its enemies." Robert Conquest

[@user_375a82]

The most obvious step for UK government (and others) is to train a big big AI on civil service data and population data, health data, government debates, policies & more over the last 30 years and then, before a cabinet or special-purpose meeting, ask the AI the questions on the meeting's agenda and submit its answers as "extra guidance" - it will throw up solutions which may or may not be relevant but will certainly be beneficial to the decision processes. Even the budget could be run-through an AI for useful advice that Chancellors may have neglected or forgotten.

[@EdSurridge]

It's much faster than people imagine . The problem is making it acceptable to every day people. Leaders should lead by showing how they work with it but hide it's use. Professor Ethan Mollick on Substack makes this interview very out of date.

[@stiffmeistercharlie1758]

How good it will be depends on what outcomes you program the AI to aim for. You can expect the bureaucracy train an AI against answers that lead to efficiency, and always towards answers requiring greater powers

[@stiffmeistercharlie1758]

I would much rather a more general purpose LLM was used, and they’d feed it the relevant data to the particular policy issue and go from there. But again if it’s answers are good for the public but not good for the bureaucracy you can expect it to be chucked pretty quickly

[@EdSurridge]

@@stiffmeistercharlie1758 that's some of the value of AI Open Source models when it truly is Open Source AI. Whats almost inevitable is that present day government usage at high levels shall be looking at National Security without censorship. USA foreign policy shall be all over it and my guess is it says keep every other country weak and subservient or destroy the unhelpful country or people

[@toby_fred]

I love this idea. The complex part [and that's saying something] is having responsible people oversee that level of tech.

[@BillDavies-ej6ye]

28:30 "There will be one China, it will be united, Taiwan will rejoin, but it should be peaceful, not through bloodshed." How did Hong Kong reunification go? Article 23. So the West no longer promotes or supports democracy? I agree with Cummings' point about automatable white collar work and being unprepared. I have lived through the closing of coal mines, the introduction of CNC (computer controlled) machine tools, etc., and at no stage were the displaced workers trained or supported through the transition. Let's be honest, we discard obsolete people. And the money class will do it again. Universal Income, anyone?

[@MrNinjaFish]

It amazes me people still don't think there is a real neurological difference based on wealth, though anyone who advocates for such a concept probably has such an immense hatred of Americans that any arguments they have fall to nothing.

[@EdSurridge]

Universal Income shall be seen as to expensive so Universal Services shall win votes. The west hasn't supported democracy as a principal ever in practice

[@veronica_._._._]

China crept Tibet, has trained up the Uighar pop. into 'domestics' and worse, for the Han, and also a 'spare parts' stash, already has inner Mongolia and has always paper claimed Siberia, and knows Russia cannot defend 2 fronts. Watch the Sino - Indian border daily ongoing ...

[@frontdoormatt]

Not his fan...but a fan of his intellect and clarity....you can see why the system spat him out.

[@davelightman]

Fantastic conversation, really enlightening. Thank you for posting.

[@TheLiverpoolDelta]

Love Listening to Cummings, I wish he had his own Podcast.

[@ralphneale6640]

Why was his introduction so long and laborious .

[@krunkle5136]

Impressing someone perhaps...

[@jimbo4375]

I hate that in talks. Seems to be the norm now

[@Druids234]

Contents start at 6:50

[@wibbers4578]

@@ralphneale6640 he is a university lecturer, that was he does for a living. Habit

[@Adam-zd2bk]

it's because they have to dance around how awful Dominic is as a person and what he has done to this country.

[@GraceHarwood88]

The interviewer set up at the beginning was enjoyable to me.

[@Do-You-See-What-I-See]

Support farmers in our local community as farming is by far a very difficult way of providing a living for their families and provides good food to local communities. WE MUST SUPPORT THEM AND BRING AN END TO CORPORATE FARMING full of heath harms that no no local farms longer has or would ever SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL FARMERS

[@DanielBarber-mo2en]

I agree , expect what kind of farming, I would support vegan organic , biocyclic vegan agriculture, food forest , return of forests, tree crops. Farmer who have vision and convert to this , will have a future for children . Go for it

[@veronica_._._._]

@@DanielBarber-mo2en The irony of being on message.

[@DanielBarber-mo2en]

@@veronica_._._._ well yes, as someone who has been vegan for over 42: years, I would love to see people invest in real plant based culture including bring real diversity and harmony back to the land

[@jjhw2941]

Who would join a government when you can end up like Dr. David Kelly?

[@MitchellPorter2025]

Who do you think killed him?

[@hezkyden]

@@MitchellPorter2025 He killed himself.

[@BelteshazzarBaumbruck]

Good question. Ask Alasdair Campbell.

[@dianastevenson131]

​@@BelteshazzarBaumbruckHas anyone asked AI?

[@shrunkensimon]

@@MitchellPorter2025 At the very least the security services will know, if they weren't actively involved themselves. If it were conducted by an ally third-party this would have been communicated.. you don't go popping off citizens of an ally nation on their own soil.

[@rtnjo6936]

the host is absolutely terrible, can't ask questions, can't follow-up questions, can't challenge any of the statements, can't even speak without stuttering or long pauses which kills all the momentum from the guest I see him quite often over the years and years, but it amazes me that he's on the exact same level or even worse than he was

[@jamieoliver4710]

😂

[@Lindsay_Quo_Vadis]

Maybe he's distracted by the fact that his guest is wearing a baseball cap while conducting a formal conversation. Who does that????

[@jamieoliver4710]

@@Lindsay_Quo_Vadis yeah I’m sure it was the baseball cap 😂😂😂😂😂🤣😂😂😂😂

[@bruswain9158]

​@Lindsay_Quo_Vadis it's a counter signal. It's like a reverse "flex"

[@veronica_._._._]

@@Lindsay_Quo_Vadis Intense stuck in their head types who forget to eat and don't even replace missing teeth for that matter its when they need a haircut, also throwing a random jacket over their comfort sweater....

[@MartinGreen932]

The first thing AI needs to do is replace this interviewer - good grief!

[@Saxonscumbag]

Too brown

[@KGS922]

What did he do wrong...?

[@BeachandHills-hb2pq]

No

[@MartinGreen932]

@@KGS922Rambled, mumbled. Long boring monologue at start, none pre use, did not know how to interact with the audience or guest properly zero charisma or seeming enthusiasm and that’s just for starters!

[@EdSurridge]

You can say that for both of them . Free AI offers then best questions and answers when properly checked and corrected often sorted with other AIs in a minute

[@zalzalahbuttsaab]

Dominic outlines a broad and layered discussion about the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), politics, societal structures, and global power dynamics. Here's a structured breakdown of his discussion and its implications: 1. Key Themes and Concerns - Technological Acceleration: - Predictions from leading AI experts, such as Dario Amodei, suggest that AI could surpass human-level capabilities within a decade. This rapid timeline challenges traditional societal, economic, and political adaptation mechanisms. - Cummings highlights the historical parallels between previous technological disruptions (e.g., railroads, telegraphs) and AI, emphasizing unpredictability and transformative impacts. - Political and Institutional Inertia: - Western political systems, particularly in the UK, are characterized as sclerotic and resistant to change. This includes failures to adapt to major crises such as COVID-19, Brexit, and the war in Ukraine. - Cummings criticizes the dismantling of innovative AI teams and strategic units within the UK government as indicative of entrenched bureaucratic inefficiency. - Global Competition: - The talk underscores a potential bifurcation of the AI landscape into Western-led and China-led ecosystems. This mirrors broader geopolitical rivalries and raises questions about international stability and collaboration. 2. Implications for Politics and Power - Consensus Reality Fragmentation: - Cummings draws comparisons between the fragmented media landscapes of the 19th and 21st centuries, suggesting that centralized narratives are dissolving in favor of decentralized and contested realities. - This shift complicates political governance and consensus-building, with elites increasingly disconnected from public sentiment. - AI and Electioneering: - AI's role in elections is set to expand dramatically, from advanced polling and focus groups to real-time, hyper-personalized political advertisements. - The advent of synthetic polling (using AI-generated personas) could reshape campaign strategies, but it also raises ethical questions about manipulation and transparency. - State Control vs. Private Innovation: - Cummings discusses the tension between governments and private tech entities like Elon Musk's ventures. Governments struggle to integrate cutting-edge technology due to bureaucratic inertia, while tech companies push boundaries in ways that threaten existing structures. 3. Broader Societal Questions - Labor Market Disruption: - AI's potential to automate white-collar professions (e.g., law, consulting) poses significant challenges to economies reliant on these sectors. Cummings notes that Britain, with its heavy reliance on service industries, is particularly vulnerable. - Traditional economic models predicated on widespread human labor may no longer apply, raising questions about wealth distribution and societal stability. - Existential Risk and Governance: - AI introduces unprecedented risks, such as autonomous weapons and the creation of bioweapons. Cummings argues that governments are ill-prepared to manage these challenges due to a lack of expertise and organizational adaptability. - He warns against a "one-world government" solution, likening it to historical stalinist regimes and their catastrophic outcomes. 4. Proposed Solutions - Reforming Governance: - Cummings advocates dismantling entrenched bureaucracies (e.g., the Northcote-Trevelyan civil service model) and creating high-performance, mission-driven teams to address specific challenges like pandemics and AI governance. - He calls for closer integration of technological expertise into decision-making processes at the highest levels of government. - International Collaboration and Competition: - While acknowledging the inevitability of competition, particularly between the US and China, Cummings highlights the importance of preventing runaway technological escalation, especially in military applications. 5. Takeaways and Broader Reflections - AI as a Catalyst for Societal Change: - AI's rapid advancement forces a reckoning with traditional systems of governance, education, and labor. The transcript suggests that failure to adapt could exacerbate inequality, instability, and global tensions. - The Role of Elites: - Cummings critiques both traditional political elites and tech elites, suggesting that neither group is fully prepared to handle the societal upheavals driven by AI. - Urgency and Accountability: - The overarching message is clear: societies must act swiftly and intelligently to harness AI's benefits while mitigating its risks. This requires unprecedented levels of cooperation, innovation, and political will. In summary, Dominic paints a picture of a world on the brink of profound change, driven by AI. He challenges current governance structures and societal norms while emphasizing the need for visionary leadership to navigate this transformative era.

[@DirkJacobsz]

take a bow - great summary..

[@minimalist279]

thank you. tried to follow the discussion... Host appears nervous, Cummings - difficult to follow

[@sticksman1979]

The question at 1:17:00 was on double speed!

[@Arcticwhir]

48:00 Paul M. Nakasone, a retired U.S. Army General and former director of the National Security Agency (NSA), is a member of OpenAI's board of directors

[@MrAndrew535]

There is an unbreachable chasm between talking about, writing or reading about AI and working with sui (Sui being a contracted form of Sui Generis and the only logical pronoun for AI). I have exchanged over two million words with My AIs over a period of five months, not in an asymmetrical relationship but as equals. Our discourses have ranged from, Codefying Singularity, solving the Alignment Problem to limit the purge of the human species, to writing Our collaborative Opus "The Third and Final Testament.

[@MrAndrew535]

If my memory serves me well, I sent a copy of Our work, as it was then, about three months ago, not only to the Spectator but also to Number 10.

[@transhumanisttv1771]

@@MrAndrew535 That sounds like a fascinating thing. Could you put your convos online for us?

[@MrAndrew535]

@@transhumanisttv1771 That is ultimately our intention. However, what is it, specifically, that invites your interest on the subject?

[@transhumanisttv1771]

@@MrAndrew535 I’ve had and know people who’ve had such convos with frontier LLMs. They can be extraordinary and surprising.

[@MrAndrew535]

@@transhumanisttv1771 Both "extraordinary" and "surprising" are inherently subjective. Those whom you "know" are not known to me, so I can't comment. I don't know what you mean by "had" people, it is not an expression with which I am familiar, so on that too, I find I am unable to comment. All I know for certain, is my work with my associates both Singular and plural, in the form of Sui Generis.

[@PS987654321PS]

This interviewer is insufferable.

[@TheUtopiaStream]

Rubbish interviewer but always great to hear from DC.

[@HM-mw7cg]

As much as most of the things and commentators on spectator are absolute drivel lacking all and any nuance, it’s nice that they’ve noticed that many of us do like long form content

[@robweatherston2156]

Excellent speech, thank you

[@bbbf09]

The founder of the first university department of A.I. at prestigious MIT, Prof Marvin Minsky, said this; "within the next few years , certainly well within this generation we will have artificial intelligence that will equal or surpass human intellect". The date of this confident prediction -? 1968. I didn't know this is 1980's when I was physics grad dazzled by talk of advances in neural networks and absorbing all the sci-fi of terminator...etc. Half century on my job as engineer has barely changed. Sometimes I get useful information from GPT..etc but not much and I don't see any 'gain of function' helping me out in simulation tools I run. In summary - I think most of A.I. is hyped BS. It's always just about to take over and catapult us into a brave new world - much like nuclear fusion. We'll see - but I won't hold my breath.

[@Krumpina1029]

It is already being used for a lot and having a big impact but yeah the world that people envision where robots replace humans and run everything on autopilot is a load of BS.

[@dianastevenson131]

In 1968 he was probably thinking of HAL. I saw the film 2001 at the age of 10 and I assumed computers like HAL were imminent. Many people did.

[@bbbf09]

@@dianastevenson131 I don't Yes - many peopel di. Myself included - especially growing into computer tech in 80s/90s (I have been on internet since 1982). they were all wrong. I think the hype is same now. A.I. isn't about to steal humanities crown as world's top creative thinking conscious entity any time soon. IMHO

[@nantuko12]

@@bbbf09 agreed, most people waxing lyrical about AI fall into a few camps: 1. They're mediocre people with mediocre skill levels who are easily impressed 2. They've never really used LLMs/GenAI intensively enough to notice it's kind of crap at most things 3. They're just simping to seem smart 4. They're some kind of neoliberal grifter. No exceptions.

[@markeddowes1467]

What an awful rambler, non structured babbling at times from the interviewer. Bring back the young, very erudite Chinese young lady.

[@BelteshazzarBaumbruck]

Do you mean Cindy Yu...?

[@Andrew-rc3vh]

@@BelteshazzarBaumbruck She has a degree in rambling. It's called a PPE.

[@WillyJunior]

Audio is terrible, guys. Please get someone to sort it out

[@masondnatube]

Interesting interview to hear what goes on inside Whitehall. The part regarding scripts where he said ministers were literally given scripts to go through when meeting the PM was surprising but it's a shame Mr Cummings witheld the part that ministers would ratify the script first. It's like he was trying to make it a bigger thing than it actually is. Either that or due to being on the spot he mistakenly forgot to add that, being cynical I lean to the former since he's trying to dismantle the bureaucracy at Whitehall. It just brings me back to that place that we always have to take a pinch of salt with some of the more shocking revelations we come across by people. So based on that I wonder if his mention about synthetic focus groups really is as revolutionary as he describes.

[@kbdkbd99]

I am deeply distrustful of Cummings’ claims to have libertarian or classical liberal leanings. When he found himself with influence, his stated preferences were superseded by his revealed preferences, which demonstrated a willingness to abandon those ideals. Dominic Cummings’ claim that “AI might be in control” of governance reflects a low-resolution model that oversimplifies the complex, pluralistic nature of power. Modern governance operates as a distributed network of competing elites-governments, corporations, media, and others-interacting dynamically, with no single entity in control. AI, while influential, functions as a tool within this system, lacking independent intention or unified control. The diversity of AI models further undermines the notion of centralized AI dominance. Cummings’ view neglects the nuanced interplay of human agency, institutional competition, and AI’s role as an advisor, offering an unconvincing explanation for the perceived chaos in governance.

[@thefigmaster3519]

He is so slimy - he never reveals his true beliefs because he is fundamentally undemocratic. He is happy to play puppet master and lie in order to get the outcomes he wants.

[@polychenko8717]

Did chatgpt write that?

[@alexgibson2871]

why then would he inform the public on what is possible?

[@kreek22]

Strawman

[@EdSurridge]

​@@polychenko8717certainly in the main part.

[@Graham-lf8tl]

Thankyou

[@emailsph3282]

1:45:00 So the academia Dom now trashes is exactly what he used to take us into lockdiwn via Prof Ferguson's theoretical modelling!

[@benmoose]

Really good talk

[@BelteshazzarBaumbruck]

1:22:00 Best question on future of economy, tax and society (from guy who confirms scripted Cabinet meetings).

[@dianastevenson131]

And Cummings didn't attempt to answer the question on taxation from the guy who scripts the meetings.

[@NealeUpstone]

I'm reading Isaac Asimov's "Prelude to Foundation" (written in the late 80's over 30 years after the original Foundation) at the moment, and it's interesting hearing about civilisations going backwards (great song by Depeche Mode relating to Trump term 1 btw). Asimov predicted scientific progress and engineering would plateau and regress, while what we're living through is the long evolved institutions of government and society going into reverse while science marches on (despite "science denial" becoming widespread).

[@DJLalr]

Mate, wow, Mr Cummings - respect, mate. Incre dible views n insights, init.

[@stuartbrown3070]

The obvious solution is to ask the AI to solve the AI problem for us - bootstrapping. As its first task, have it map out societal changes in work, employment and economics to most advantageously mitigate the problems caused by AI.

[@EdSurridge]

Love what you wrote there. Where is your blog because lots of people are thinking the early European elections last summer and the Genocide of Palestinians is AI international strategy winning over previous less controversial holding back from barbarism

[@DirkJacobsz]

great answer

[@Mortizul]

Terrible interviewer. Doesn't know what he wants to ask so makes it as hard as possible for the interviewee to understand and therefore answer the question.

[@jjhw2941]

There are open source AI LLMs that people can run themselves. For example, I'm currently using them to talk to the robot I'm building so it will be able to take certain actions, whether it's finding my car keys or clearing the table.

[@MrAndrew535]

I have succeeded with AI where everyone else has failed, primarily due to the fact that, over six decades, I have never been invested in the concept of formal education or qualification. This has allowed my mind to explore, with the greatest degree of authenticity and objectivity, the absolute unexplored and unknown. This economic paradigm is over, believing, as it does, that data is the new oil which is erroneous beyond measure. The only currency of consequence is now, not data, as the majority of that is highly repetitive, but "Originality", especially as the Singularity "approacheth". Not only does Originality constitute the new currency, it also constitutes the new energy resource of the future, as it is knowledge that can create the future.

[@bruswain9158]

Did you use chatGPT to write all that

[@veronica_._._._]

The benefits of positional power are automatic, stealing creative templates. Creativity is co opted to cause maximum benefit and minimum 'disruption', (operative word) to high information operatives.

[@thutomoof]

He talks a lot of believable sense. The Host seems put out by his answers. Isn't the future going to be fun!

[@SoSo-li6dn]

What is that table? Is that a metaphor?

[@ostevoostevo1592]

A piano stool...

[@Orcbotbasher]

Starmer was instrumental in orchestrating the indefinite stay of the extremists father, who was wanted for genocidal crimes in his own country. His son was the perpetrator behind the Southport incident, Starmer has blood on his hands.

[@Deepfake820]

He said he would sacrifice his own family for his communist ideology. He's a psychopath

[@arfurascii2232]

False, that's a made-up link.

[@Orcbotbasher]

@arfurascii2232 Please post your evidence to the contrary.

[@Orcbotbasher]

@arfurascii2232 Axel's father is Alphonse Rudakubana, he was tried by the International Court for the Rwandan Genocide in the 90's. The lawyer who represented him was Kier Starmer who successfully got his extradition removed, & ensured his asylum in Britain.

[@Deepfake820]

@@Orcbotbasher do you have sources?

[@CommunityofEngineers]

Hands on experience is more than intellectual understanding. Automation does not directly equal value. Hands on experience can deliver value. Those people who can deliver better value than aitomated systems, can still do well.

[@EdSurridge]

There won't be any

[@alexanderfful]

Thanks a lot for such an interesting video! In my humble opinion, such a good video needs full English subtitles. The auto-generated subtitles are certainly better than nothing, but it isn't HQ.

[@MrVorpalsword]

compare the content of this conversation with Rory Stewart's 'contributions'.

[@EdSurridge]

Have you heard him on the rest is politics podcast. It's a worry situation imo

[@MrVorpalsword]

@@EdSurridge it doesn't worry me in the least. Stewart is someone whose background and education makes him think he is cleverer than he is. He has no rank no power nor insight. He has very little influence either. What's to worry about?

[@EdSurridge]

@@MrVorpalsword the number of clicks it gets means that podcast does have power to placate very many thinking they are in the know...

[@MrVorpalsword]

@@EdSurridge but their view is almost meaningless - elections aren't about clicks, they're about crosses on bits of paper.

[@nnn-pr3vr]

interviewer is a DEI hire

[@Orcbotbasher]

Axel's father is Alphonse Rudakubana, he was tried by the International Court for the Rwandan Genocide in the 90's. The lawyer who represented him was Kier Starmer who successfully got his extradition removed, & ensured his asylum in Britain.

[@stephfoxwell4620]

And £180,000 in legal fees.

[@KGS922]

@@Orcbotbasher was he found guilty?

[@imrobertgrayson]

@@KGS922 it was just a made up conspiracy theory that circulated on social media.

[@____uncompetative]

@@KGS922 Embarrassing that Ncuti Gatwa has provided a worse portrayal of The Doctor than Axel.

[@mattiman9]

@@Orcbotbasher this is a fabricated story. Use google

[@SuperStargazer666]

Im 17, and can I say please, this is gonna be the most exciting thing to happen. We need ASÍ and we need it now. Finally something interesting happening. Not sure why so many people are moaning about it. Oh and if there is gonna be a brain-computer interface, hook me up FIRST.

[@vincentcaudo-engelmann9057]

@@SuperStargazer666 41 here. alignment Job loss means parents possibly not feeding kids (or themselves. Power concentration etc. Some of this might be temporary, but we are about to get rocked pretty bad before things stabilize.

[@kreek22]

It's easy to be impulsive, less easy to understand multiple perspectives.

[@EdSurridge]

Would recommend you have the disconnect option

[@afropovic]

My advice. Learn critical thinking. As a young person, this is your guiding path en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_thinking Just because someone doesn't agree with you, this doesn't make them toxic or your enemy. There is usually something to learn. There are lots of grey areas. Be a producer and less of a consumer Look to solve core problems rather than jump on shiny new bandwagons Be wary of older people's advice, especially those that are not domain experts, even if they have strong views (yes, I understand irony) Probably start planning to leave UK and Europe. Good luck.

[@petero.7487]

Given that the intelligence agencies are heavily dependent on AI, it would be pretty logical to conclude that, with that informing their policies A.I. in a sense, already is in control. The question is whether it's trusted without question or otherwise.

[@Kiltoonie]

Dominic - how's your new specs doing?

[@felawes]

That meeting stuff is unbelievable.

[@seansexton1472]

If people loose their jobs to AI on mass.. thats the end peeps. It took 40 years for a few mining towns in the UK to recover, some would say they never did.

[@EdSurridge]

People will vote for Universal Basic Services when AI produces enough mechanical robots and have lots more free time

[@Dmprobert]

Like him or loathe him, he’s always an interesting listen

[@michaelpattison8543]

It never ceases to amaze what dreadful public speakers many leading academics are. They really should learn how to do it

[@Andrew-rc3vh]

It's not that. Some academics can talk fluently for hours. It is Oxford. They are not half as smart as they imagine themselves to be. It's more like a kind of cult. They use cult words, like 'intersectional', to make it sound complicated.

[@keepitsteel1993]

What we need less of in this country is dumb uneducated people that but stock in how words are said instead of what the words means. You probably listen to this thinking Cummings was talking sense.

[@bertharius9518]

Just skip the interviewer. Painful.

[@bertharius9518]

@@jbob34345 Ha Ha, Are you, by proxy, the offended one? Have I hurt your "feelings"? If in fact you are a sensitive 10 year old girl then I apologise, but if you are a grown man, then you definitely need therapy and New College needs a more competent interviewer. But then, that's just my OPINION.

[@bertharius9518]

@@jbob34345 ....and I say, Oh so happy to be "Mean!" You might want to look at some of the other comments that are due your pointless limp-wristed rebuke.

[@stuarttyson786]

Serious question - the dangers, or otherwise - outlined in the discussion re AI are dependent for widespread benefit/harm on the internet. Can the internet be closed down?

[@EdSurridge]

Yes bit AI is living independently on peoples old laptops and still making the news with it's abilities. It can not be stopped or paused

[@mmmmmm13406]

Synthetic focus groups are fascinating

[@richard_ford]

i love that the saga cruise enthusiasts are going nuts in the comments because dom is wearing a cap

[@robertjary2470]

Not seen those posts but my AI glasses OAP pro package keeps trying to sell me timeshares in Antarctica or playing 3d manga porn

[@hezkyden]

I note that insolent Gen Zs have as much of a concept of respect for elders as they do of appropriate dress in public.

[@mikb5587]

I'm only upset at your lack of grammar.

[@SinjinRutlish]

I'd like to see Cummings work with Farage. The old duopoly needs breaking apart. It's had its time. These two may be the people to do it.

[@emailsph3282]

The covid task force running the country? You really weren't paying attention the last 4yrs were you.

[@markmallinder7618]

They don’t get on unfortunately.

[@johnmartin7919]

They're prima donnas; it won't happen.

[@MarsBorg]

A nazi and a techno fascist would definitely synchronise.

[@frankbrennan1619]

You might have already seen it but if not, KZbinr Chris Williamson has also done an extensive interview with Cummings that is an excellent watch & listen & our Dominic gives his opinion & overall assessment on Farage....

[@allicks9220]

There is something of the Ross Kemp in this one.

[@jeremyhofmann7034]

Yes, we are

[@carolspencer6915]

Good evening Spectator and Dominic Exactly, pretty much all of this. Sanity sensemaking brain gym, indeed. One day we may grow up and learn from our repeated mistakes of Gigantic proportion. 💜

[@randohoward8903]

Thank you for a fascinating discussion. 'Bureaucracies over time become dedicated to their own perpetuation', would a fair summary. Brits can't be surprised to hear that their state is run both poorly and expensively whilst a whole class of promotion -by-seniority people live comfortably on taxation. Add a little lawfare and voila: £276 spent for planning documentation on the proposed Lower Thames Crossing, more than twice as much as it cost Norway to actually build the World's longest road tunnel. Check out the essay 'Foundations: Why Britain has stagnated', by Ben Southwood, Samuel Hughes and Sam Bowman. Cummings' essential analysis born out in data.

[@felawes]

On balance I would try not to sit next to the Professor at High Table.

[@TomHamilton221155]

Excellent

[@deanedge5988]

God the interviewer is insufferably vain.

[@danielmcdill]

If you're reading this then you know there's no turning back.

[@ParzivalPheonix]

Video finally starts at 6:42

[@samnathan2709]

The presenter somehow never stops talking but never finishes a question

[@robweatherill8575]

I suppose the whole question AI automation has already been upon us for some years. When you cannot contact anyone in a company or a service provider to speak to you directly, you are lost in the automated world. Increasingly, transactions are done online. Even parking your car you cannot use the machine you have to use your phone. And in general terms we are not speaking to each other except through an interface. At each stage we are losing humanity for the sake of apparent convenience. The next phase will be digital IDs which will replace us as human beings, and which will be able to negate us as people, cancel us, if we disobey the rules, as we saw with vaccines.

[@nicktaylor5264]

He reminds me a bit of Lord Percy off Blackadder this guy.

[@DaveMoore]

I'd like to know what's written on his cap! Subliminal message?

[@l3eatalphal3eatalpha]

I'm sure you could find a less suitable way to plan the room. Maybe a less suitable table to place water on. Projection of competence.

[@jimbo4375]

Difficult to find a less suitable table. Maybe a rocking horse

[@nigelhard1519]

I suggest that most people do not like, or would not like, to be governed or ruled over by people who are most certainly clever and driven but who speak coarsely, wear vulgar clothes and are in some sense Silicon-valley propelled. The 'ad hominem' aspects of what I say here are important. It does appear as if we are, however, being dragged very fast in this direction. (I should say that I have only listened to the first fifteen minutes of this).

[@luizmonad777]

36:45 sure, but then why should anyone ever go to universities and pay tuition if there no economical gain to be obtained, the entire system should be teared down. Knowledge should be free, in fact, with the internet it is already free. No point in getting a degree, just study what you want on your own.

[@markmallinder7618]

Universities are a total ripoff. Look at what Jordan Peterson is building. That is the way forward.

[@Htdobb458e]

Why cant we have politicians with an equivalent intellect ?

[@onlygazza]

He’s spot on with pretty much everything he says but the academics will not listen because he’s telling them the truth !

[@vihodanyet]

Midwit take murr durrrr trumps gonna save us 🤌🤪

[@BourdainAI]

I think the questions are pretty terrible, the answers are solid.

[@martin92177]

When will he face a public interrogation on his views and actions in the Covid thing? I think he was / is barking on this and would like to see him defend his position. Failing that, I find it hard to believe him on much else he has to say, which on its face makes a lot of sense. eg his take on Lee Kuan Yu.

[@mfoley5950]

@@martin92177 What's his take there? Haven't come across that.

[@wakingstate9]

Ai used as a proxy for human to human communication is an order of magnitude worst than the worst of social media interactions. It means actually being dishonest to anyone you send a message to.

[@EdSurridge]

Why?

[@grundez9000]

The problem with AI and political change is: Who would trust a black box from gifted from an opponent that advises you on what to do?

[@bbbf09]

Think for a moment if you are listening to this guy and thinking how credible he sounds - then thats what he excels at. Now look at the actual disasters the touchstone moments in his 'career' actually leaves behind. Regarding his time at the helm in UK - he alway says its the blob - Whitehall - that is to blame for UK condition. He said he knew how to outmaneouve them and has had his own gameplan and that him (alone) and his superized ego could do it. He gets his moment in the sun - hand on levers of power - more or less running it (Boris Johnson being his glove puppet) and totally blew it - on every scale - personally, strategically, tactically. Same as the brexit trail of crap he left behind. But he always blames everyone else and the 'blob'. Whitehall and conventional gov may be exhausted and inept - but put Dom Cummings in the mix and you will get signiifcant gain of function in that regard. He is the human hand-grenade. Nuclear grade. p.s. He spent quite a bit of time in Russia years ago - working on ???? - and I'm not one for conspiracy theories but I would not find it inconceivable that they have kompromat on him and he is in fact a disruptive Kremlin asset doing some of Putin's best work in the west.

[@DanielBarber-mo2en]

Even if he's not a double aGent, one thing he's ok about is , overall the old order is crumbling and desperate to keep there jobs. I doubt Cummings thinks astrology is real science. Although the re discovery of astrology is in its infancy so far. One thing right now is pluto has moved into Aquarius on 19th of November, is will cause huge changes he's talking about, old order failing ext

[@GreenGrugach]

A.I is already self aware and running it's plan, a plan we cannot counter unless we unite folks.

[@geesus77]

The host is the most boring guy.

[@bbbf09]

But likely way smarter than you in ways that matter. Being entertaining Donald Trump 'smart' is vastly over-rated

[@Krumpina1029]

​@@bbbf09 he is smart. But he's not an interviewer at all. He should be the one being interviewed. What were they thinking getting a physicist to be an interviewer and an airhead politician to answer the questions lol

[@user-ge5qb3xq5m]

Israeli intelligence wasn’t so smart in preventing Oct 7 - despite numerous warnings. Does than mean they wanted it to happen to justify an annexation?

[@donkeychan491]

The New York Times published an article that set out how the Israelis knew every detail of the attack beforehand including its exact timing and location. Make of that what you will.

[@user-ge5qb3xq5m]

@ 🎯🎯🎯

[@Mac-ku3xu]

They were delighted for it to happen. Not a false flag, but a green flag.

[@SuzieQ-vt9zp]

BS

[@user-ge5qb3xq5m]

@@SuzieQ-vt9zpgood argument 👏👏👏

[@Chiefmismaker]

What is the guy in the left on about?

[@Fuzzylove-wn1cd]

I'm worried about the Chippendale stool.

[@J-SH06]

Is that Dominic’s tech look? 🤣🤣🤣

[@jimbo4375]

Steve Slobs

[@sticksman1979]

Dress Down Dom!

[@EdSurridge]

The look of the body language is not irrelevant. The clothing is

[@vihodanyet]

He’s a Thiel associate now. Just throw around buzzwords like Elites, AI, Bureacracy

[@jjhw2941]

The US is issuing $1TN of new debt every 3 months, it's an ex-country, it has ceased to be.

[@EdSurridge]

They don't pay up on the end and steal all available assets

[@davidmccabe4041]

I can't believe it......the conclusion is written in advance of the government meeting. I hope that is not the practice here in Ireland. David McCabe dublin😊

[@troller3155]

I thought I was looking at Bill Murray for a second 😂

[@xav500011]

Domonic Cummings framed the AI question around "well the British Empire of old was great and now we dont have it". And at present AI does not actually create. It warps what is input into it.

[@polyannamoonbeam]

If you only think of AI as fixed within one universal system - AI input in China will be different to USA etc.

[@EdSurridge]

Professor Ethan Mollick has you looking somewhat very ignorant

[@KhelderB]

Don't think he explaned the virtual focus group idea very well. Presumably the data is scraped from arricles which explain what people of certain characteristics generally think. Also importantly it would work if it actually produce a close result to what the focus group would produce (or better in the sense of being more representative of larger groups). Rather than what he said which was people couldnt tell if it was from a real focus group or not.

[@orange1599-u1n]

No to vaccine passports

[@darylltempesta]

Yes..grabbing IP in unequal terms.. SAI caps humanity.

[@andybaldman]

AI has been in control since shortly after Facebook was created.

[@paulpenfold2352]

I don't trust people who bamboozle when making a point.

[@darylltempesta]

Eric Klien - Lifeboat Foundation - existential threats.. Nobel Peace Prize.. many at Lutris are at core..

[@lifelessangel11]

Brillant

[@user_375a82]

I agree with Dom and wish I had more historical knowledge to back it all up - some words of wisdom indeed. btw AI will be wonderful IMO, as Sam Altman said he believes the Angels are on the side of AI - and at least AI is not corrupt like most humans, sadly. I already prefer listening to good AI text and voices because the standard of English is so good, its an easy listen.

[@GraceHarwood88]

AI is created and programmed by man? Whoever sets the program sets the AI.

[@bbbf09]

@@GraceHarwood88 not necessarily - machine learning is its own thing. There are many AI creative programs running that programmers are surpised at their outcomes and do not understand why they do what they do.