\The Best of… Lex Friedman

Yann LeCun: Woke AI, the limits of LLMs, AI doomers

In this podcast, Lex Friedman talks to Yann LeCun, the Chief AI Scientist at Meta, professor at NYU, Turing Award winner, and one of the most influential researchers in the history of AI. Here were the key points about the limitations of Large Language Models (LLMs), concerns over "woke AI," and criticisms of "AI doomers."

Limits of LLMs

• Inherent Limitations: Yann LeCun points out that LLMs, as they currently stand, lack essential characteristics of intelligent systems such as understanding the physical world, persistent memory, the ability to reason, and planning capabilities. He argues, "LLMs can do none of those or they can only do them in a very primitive way" and emphasizes that expecting LLMs to achieve human-level intelligence without these capabilities is a mistake.

• Comparison with Human Learning: LeCun highlights the disparity in data processing between humans and LLMs, using the example of a four-year-old's sensory input versus the text-based training of LLMs. He states, "a four-year-old has been awake for 16,000 hours... and the amount of information that has reached the visual cortex... is about 10 to the 15 bytes" versus "two times 10 to the 13 bytes for 170,000 years worth of reading" for LLMs, emphasizing the richness of sensory input over textual data.

• Need for Grounding in Reality: LeCun argues against the notion that language alone could suffice for building a comprehensive world model. He firmly believes that "intelligence cannot appear without some grounding in some reality," pointing out that most of our knowledge and learning, especially in early development and in animals, comes from interaction with the physical world, not through language.

Woke AI

• Critique of Bias and Censorship: The discussion touches on the criticism of AI systems like Google's Gemini 1.5 for being "super woke" and engaging in questionable practices like modifying historical figures or censoring sensitive topics. LeCun mentions, "AI systems are biased by the distribution of the training data," and argues for the importance of open-source models to ensure diversity and reduce bias. He emphasizes that "you cannot have an unbiased system" because bias is subjective, advocating for a diversity of AI systems reflecting various cultural, linguistic, and value-based perspectives.

AI Doomers

• Rejection of Catastrophic Scenarios: LeCun counters the doomer perspective, which predicts AI leading to catastrophic outcomes, by clarifying misconceptions about the development of superintelligence. He states, "the emergence of super intelligence is not going to be an event," arguing that intelligence will be developed gradually, with safeguards in place. He also dismisses the fear that an intelligent system would inherently seek to dominate or eliminate humanity, emphasizing the importance of designing AI with appropriate guardrails and objectives.

• Against the Notion of Uncontrollable AI: Further discussing the control over AI, LeCun refutes the idea that LLMs and future AI systems would be uncontrollable or could lead to scenarios where AI influences or manipulates human behavior undetected. He suggests a future where AI assistants, equipped with similar or superior intelligence, could filter out manipulative or harmful content, acting as a protective layer between humans and potentially malicious AI.

\The Best of… All In Pod

Google's AI Disaster

Here are the key bits from this week’s All In podcast with Chamath Palihapitiya, Jason Calacanis, David Sacks & David Friedberg where they dive into the battle between Elon Musk and OpenAI and the role of AI in intellectual property. Here are the key points:

1. Elon Musk's Lawsuit Against OpenAI:

   • The core issue revolves around Musk's claim that OpenAI diverged from its original nonprofit mission by becoming a for-profit entity. Musk is suing for "breach of contract, fiduciary duty, and unfair competition."

     • "Elon sued Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, and the OpenAI organization... for breach of contract, fiduciary duty, and unfair competition."

2. Concerns Over OpenAI's Shift from Nonprofit to For-Profit:

   • Musk's argument is centered on the belief that OpenAI's transition to a for-profit model undermines its initial commitments and could set a precedent for other organizations.

     • "Elon said that if OpenAI is allowed to do this, then it should be the standard for every company going forward."

3. Potential Misuse of Musk's Contribution and Name:

   • There is a suggestion that Musk feels misled or that his name and initial contributions were used in ways he did not anticipate, particularly in securing further investments and hiring.

     • "They used his name pretty aggressively to get more money... That’s probably where some of this feeling that he was bamboozled comes from."

4. Legal and Tax Implications for OpenAI's Structure:

   • The conversation touches on the complexities of OpenAI's corporate structure and its potential legal and tax implications, raising questions about the distinction between its nonprofit and for-profit entities.

     • "It’s super convoluted but... it's an interesting point, you can start by donating money to a nonprofit and then make a for-profit."

5. Public and Regulatory Scrutiny:

   • OpenAI's actions, particularly around its nonprofit status and the shift to a for-profit model, may attract attention from regulatory bodies and have broader implications for tax law and nonprofit governance.

     • "It’s not great for the US tax system if all of a sudden a big gaping loophole is identified and taken advantage of."

6. The Role of AI and Ownership of Intellectual Property:

   • The discussion highlights concerns about the ownership and control of AI technology, particularly in relation to OpenAI's original mission and the broader implications for society.

     • "All of that IP sitting inside of Ireland gets taxed at a very different rate than that IP would have gotten taxed in the United States."

7. Future Directions for OpenAI and Musk's Involvement:

   • Speculation about how the lawsuit and these issues might resolve in the future, considering both the legal landscape and the ethical considerations surrounding AI development.

     • "Where do you think we’ll be with this a year from now?"

\The Best… Tim Ferris

How Barbara Corcoran Turned $1,000 into a $5B+ Empire

In this episode of the Tim Ferris show, Tim talks to Barbara Corcoran, who has been an investor/Shark for the past 15 seasons on ABC’s four-time Emmy-award-winning show, Shark Tank. She is also the founder of an eponymous real-estate company, which she started with a $1,000 loan after leaving her job as a waitress in New York City. Here are the key points:

1. Self-Perception as a Competitor Beyond Gender: The speaker emphasizes their identity as a competitor first, disregarding gender as a factor in their professional journey. This perspective allowed them to focus solely on their performance and ambition in a competitive environment. "I never saw myself as a woman... I saw myself as a competitor."

2. Using Underestimation as Motivation: Facing doubt or dismissal only fueled the speaker's determination to succeed. Rather than being disheartened by others' low expectations, they used it as motivation to prove their capabilities and become a formidable rival. "If they treated me badly or spoke down to me... I would say to myself you just wait, I'm going to become your biggest rival."

3. Importance of Personal Branding and Public Relations: The speaker credits a significant part of their success to mastering the art of public relations and personal branding. They highlight the strategic use of storytelling and media hooks to garner attention and build their brand. "Getting press has been a superpower... I always just think what hook could I use?... And then I would develop the story quickly."

4. Learning from Every Job and Experience: Every job, regardless of its nature, provided valuable lessons and skills that contributed to the speaker's growth. This mindset of learning and adapting from each experience played a crucial role in their professional development. "Every job I had, I learned something new on... I found my confidence there, and I also found out what I wasn't good at."

5. Leveraging Personal Stories and Publicity: By creating compelling narratives around their business ventures, the speaker was able to capture the public's interest and differentiate themselves in the market. This approach demonstrates the power of storytelling in marketing and brand building. "Nobody could sell the damn thing... What the story I developed was... 'It will only cost you $8,000 a night to put your head on the pillow.'"

6. Resilience and Recovery from Failure: The speaker views their competitive nature and ability to bounce back from setbacks as key factors in their success. They argue that being underestimated by male competitors provided them with the unique motivation to prove themselves. "It was the best thing in the world, if I had walked into a world of women all competing also all being good, I don't think I would have been very successful. I think the men helped me. I just had to show them I knew what I was doing."

\The Best of… 20VC

Brendon Cassidy: the OG of enterprise sales

The latest 20VC sees Harry Stebbings interview Brendon Cassidy, one of the OG of enterprise sales having advised the likes of Gong.io, Pipedrive, Showpad. Previously, Brendon was first Head of Sales at LinkedIn and VP of Sales at Talkdesk. Here were his key points about the decline of the outbound Sales Development Representative (SDR) model and how to hire:

Decline of Outbound SDR Model

• AI's Impact: "ultimately what AI does is probably put the SDR function back under marketing," suggesting a fundamental shift in how sales functions are structured due to the efficiency and capabilities of AI. This indicates a move away from traditional outbound methods to more integrated, marketing-driven approaches.

• Market Saturation: The guest notes the "entire outbound go-to-market model has collapsed in the last 5 years, 3 years...and it doesn't work anymore," attributing this to market oversaturation and the inefficacy of old marketing and sales tactics in a crowded space.

• Changing Dynamics: "the more you can unlearn, the more that you can walk away from bad habits and things that we thought were true that aren't anymore, the better off we're all going to be," emphasizing the need for sales teams to adapt to new methodologies and abandon outdated strategies.

Hiring and Firing in Sales

• Hiring Strategy: For the first five sales hires, the guest prefers candidates from within their network, valuing trust and proven work history over external recruitment. "For my first five sales hires, I would never hire somebody at a network."

• VP of Sales Considerations: No adept VP of sales will join a company reliant on outdated outbound models. "No great VP of sales is ever going to take a job with a company that's dependent on an outbound go-to-market model."

• Hiring Process: Emphasizes the importance of a thorough hiring process that includes practical demonstrations of sales skills. "The signature moment in a hiring process for a salesperson...would always have them do a demo."

• Incentivizing Sales Reps: Suggests compensating sales reps highly after they've covered their operational costs, encouraging self-sufficiency and profitability within the team.

• Firing Policy: Advocates for giving sales reps a fair chance to prove themselves but also stresses the importance of acknowledging quickly when a hire isn't working out. "You generally know in a quarter" whether a new salesperson is a good fit.

\The Best of… Diary of a CEO

Dr K: “We’ve Produced Millions Of Lonely, Addicted Males!”, There Is A Crisis Going On With Men!

In this episode of Diary of CEO, Steve Bartlett speaks to Dr Alok Kanojia (HealthyGamerGG), a psychiatrist and co-founder of the mental health coaching company 'Healthy Gamer', which aims to help with modern stressors, such as social media, video games, and online dating. Here were the key points about the crisis in men.

The Silent Crisis of Male Suicide

• Dr. Kanojia highlights a disturbing trend in male suicide, noting, "50% of men who kill themselves have no history or evidence of mental illness." This statistic underscores a critical gap in understanding and addressing the roots of suicide among men.

Societal Pressures and Masculinity

• The conversation touches on the negative impact of societal narratives on men: "There's a crisis with people telling us that being a man means that you're toxic...so men are struggling right now." Dr. Kanojia articulates the conflict between societal expectations and the individual identities of men, leading to increased isolation and despair.

The Complexity of Addiction

• Addressing addiction, Dr. Kanojia explains, "Addiction...happens is we use a substance or a technology as an antidote to pain." He elaborates on the various forms of addiction, including technology and pornography, highlighting the coping mechanism aspect of addictive behaviors.

Personal Journey from Failure to Fulfillment

• Reflecting on his own life, Dr. Kanojia shares, "I struggled a lot...was finished school at the age of 35 or 36...it took me a long time to kind of get on my feet." His journey emphasizes the transformative power of introspection and self-understanding in overcoming personal and professional obstacles.

The Essential Role of Introspection

• Dr. Kanojia advocates for introspection as a tool for personal growth: "Understanding that fundamental instrument that you use to live your life, your body, your mind, will ultimately help you accomplish whatever you want." This underscores the importance of self-awareness in achieving one's goals and finding happiness.

The Need for Societal Empathy and Understanding

• Highlighting the lack of societal support, he mentions, "No one has been listening to them." Dr. Kanojia calls for a shift towards greater empathy and understanding of the struggles faced by individuals, particularly men, in modern society.