Can AI Become Conscious? — With Michael Pollan

The podcast explores the potential for artificial intelligence to achieve consciousness, featuring Michael Pollan, author of "A World Appears, A Journey Into Consciousness." Pollan argues that consciousness may not be computable, citing the brain's analog nature, the inseparability of hardware and software in brains, and the importance of feelings tied to human vulnerability. He suggests that feelings cannot be reduced to mere information. The conversation touches on the belief in Silicon Valley that information is the fundamental unit of the universe, the implications of this view, and the potential for AI to decode proteins and build virtual cells. Pollan also raises questions about the definition of relationships with machines and the risk of simplifying complex phenomena.