This is a conversation between Lex Fridman and Demis Hassabis. Hassabis delves into the core of his Nobel Prize lecture, proposing that any pattern found in nature can be efficiently discovered and modeled by classical learning algorithms. This stems from his work with AlphaGo and AlphaFold, where models were built to navigate complex, high-dimensional spaces. The success in protein folding, where nature efficiently solves the problem, suggests that natural systems have structure shaped by evolutionary processes, making them learnable. Hassabis hints that anything evolved can be efficiently modeled. He expands on this concept, suggesting that even geological formations, planetary orbits, and asteroid shapes have undergone survival processes, leaving behind patterns that can be "reverse learned" and predicted efficiently.
Hassabis contemplates creating a complexity class, LNS, for learnable natural systems, those that can be efficiently modeled by classical systems. He speculates if a new class of problems exists that is solvable by neural network processes, mapped onto these natural systems. Hassabis believes information is primary, the fundamental unit of the universe, and views the universe as an informational system, making the P=NP question a question of physics.
Hassabis believes that many problems, like AlphaGo and AlphaFold, can be framed in a way that modeling the dynamics and properties of the system allows for efficient, polynomial-time search for solutions using classical systems. He believes classical systems can go much further than previously thought, even to modeling proteins and playing Go at world champion level. He also discusses cellular automata and chaotic systems. He suggests that there is an underlying structure to physics.
Lex asks about the interaction side of AlphaFold, how genes can be mapped to a function, leading to the kernel that can be efficiently modeled. He emphasizes the role of gradients.
They discuss DeepMind's video generation model, Vio, which can model liquids surprisingly well, specular lighting, and materials. He notes that AI systems are reverse-engineering physics from YouTube videos, extracting underlying structure.
The conversation transitions to video games. Hassabis expresses his love for gaming and the potential of AI to create mind-blowing, personalized experiences. He wants to build open-world games. Hassabis points to Black and White that had early reinforcement learning systems. He considers a sabbatical from AI to build a video game.
They further discuss Alpha evolved which is the Google DeepMind system that evolves algorithms and is a possible component for future superintelligent systems. He believes in the combination of LLMs and other computational techniques.
Turning to AI scientists, they debate research taste, whether AI systems can have the judgment to steer human scientists and generate novel ideas. Hassabis acknowledges that this is one of the most difficult capabilities to mimic. Hassabis discusses simulating a cell.
They contemplate whether AI can model the origin of life, the transition from non-living to living organisms. He believes AI can help determine how something emerged from the primordial soup.
They then discuss AGI. Hassabis estimates a 50% chance of AGI by 2030. He defines AGI by matching cognitive function.
Hassabis discusses what it took to lead google from losing to winning with the Gemini system, including, the team, culture, and cutting away bureaucracy to shipping progress.
They spoke of scaling Laws, the data side ( high quality data), Scaling to compute for building. If fusion is the main source of energy in 2030 to 2040, how it would impact earth.
They spoke of if there's gonna be a point humans civilization destroys itself. Finally. what gives you hope for the future of human civilization.