Latest news with #SourceCode:MyBeginnings
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Science
- Business Insider
Google's AI CEO explains why he's not interested in taking LSD in his quest to understand 'the nature of reality'
The Google DeepMind CEO said he's never taken LSD and doesn't want to. In a recent interview with Wired's Steven Levy, the AI boss was asked about his pursuit of understanding the "nature of reality," as his X bio states. More specifically, Hassabis was asked if acid had ever helped him get a glimpse of the nature of reality. The short answer is no. "I didn't do it like that," Hassabis said. "I just did it through my gaming and reading a hell of a lot when I was a kid, both science fiction and science." Hassabis set out as a child to understand the universe better, and the quest is ongoing. He's hoping AI and, eventually, artificial general intelligence will help reach his goal. While some tech leaders have talked about using psychedelics, Hassabis said he's "too worried about the effects on the brain." "I've sort of finely tuned my mind to work in this way," he said. "I need it for where I'm going." Google DeepMind is the research lab behind the company's AI projects, including chatbot Gemini. Hassabis is leading Google's charge toward the AI race's holy grail — AGI. Google DeepMind didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Over the years, Silicon Valley has embraced the use of psychedelics, such as microdosing to improve productivity or going on ayahuasca retreats. Some investors have banked on their popularity, backing psychedelic startups that are seeking to turn the drugs into medical treatments or expand the industry in other ways. However, that's not a green light to take acid or magic mushrooms on the clock. In 2021, CEO Justin Zhu, cofounder and CEO of a startup called Iterable, said he was fired for microdosing LSD before a meeting. He hoped it would improve his focus, he said. Some of Hassabis's tech peers have been open about using LSD as established bosses or as college students. Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, for example, took acid for the first time as a teenager, according to his memoir, " Source Code: My Beginnings." For Gates, dropping acid was exhilarating at first and a "cosmic" experience when he did it again. However, he ended up thinking his brain could delete his memories like a computer. "That would be one of the last times I would do LSD," Gates said. It didn't have that effect on Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, who told his biographer, Walter Isaacson, that it was "a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life." OpenAI's Sam Altman has also spoken positively about his experience with psychedelics. Although he didn't specify exactly what drug he took, he said it changed him from a "very anxious, unhappy person" to "calm." "If you had told me that, like, one weekend-long retreat in Mexico was going to significantly change that, I would have said absolutely not," Altman said. "And it really did."
Business Insider
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Google's AI CEO explains why he's not interested in taking LSD in his quest to understand 'the nature of reality'
Demis Hassabis prefers gaming over acid trips. The Google DeepMind CEO said he's never taken LSD and doesn't want to. In a recent interview with Wired's Steven Levy, the AI boss was asked about his pursuit of understanding the "nature of reality," as his X bio states. More specifically, Hassabis was asked if acid had ever helped him get a glimpse of the nature of reality. The short answer is no. "I didn't do it like that," Hassabis said. "I just did it through my gaming and reading a hell of a lot when I was a kid, both science fiction and science." Hassabis set out as a child to understand the universe better, and the quest is ongoing. He's hoping AI and, eventually, artificial general intelligence will help reach his goal. While some tech leaders have talked about using psychedelics, Hassabis said he's "too worried about the effects on the brain." "I've sort of finely tuned my mind to work in this way," he said. "I need it for where I'm going." Google DeepMind is the research lab behind the company's AI projects, including chatbot Gemini. Hassabis is leading Google's charge toward the AI race's holy grail — AGI. Google DeepMind didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider. Over the years, Silicon Valley has embraced the use of psychedelics, such as microdosing to improve productivity or going on ayahuasca retreats. Some investors have banked on their popularity, backing psychedelic startups that are seeking to turn the drugs into medical treatments or expand the industry in other ways. However, that's not a green light to take acid or magic mushrooms on the clock. In 2021, CEO Justin Zhu, cofounder and CEO of a startup called Iterable, said he was fired for microdosing LSD before a meeting. He hoped it would improve his focus, he said. Some of Hassabis's tech peers have been open about using LSD as established bosses or as college students. Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates, for example, took acid for the first time as a teenager, according to his memoir, " Source Code: My Beginnings." For Gates, dropping acid was exhilarating at first and a "cosmic" experience when he did it again. However, he ended up thinking his brain could delete his memories like a computer. "That would be one of the last times I would do LSD," Gates said. It didn't have that effect on Apple cofounder Steve Jobs, who told his biographer, Walter Isaacson, that it was "a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life." OpenAI's Sam Altman has also spoken positively about his experience with psychedelics. Although he didn't specify exactly what drug he took, he said it changed him from a "very anxious, unhappy person" to "calm." "If you had told me that, like, one weekend-long retreat in Mexico was going to significantly change that, I would have said absolutely not," Altman said. "And it really did." For Hassabis, he's seeking other ways to find answers to life's deepest questions. "We don't know what the nature of time is, or consciousness and reality," he told Wired. "I don't understand why people don't think about them more. I mean, this is staring us in the face."
Forbes
03-05-2025
- Science
- Forbes
The One Skill That AI Doesn't Have That Makes Humans Irreplaceable
The One Skill That AI Doesn't Have That Makes Humans Irreplaceable In a time when artificial intelligence can write code, analyze data, and even mimic human conversation, it's easy to wonder what's left that machines can't do. But there is one capability that continues to separate humans from machines, curiosity. AI can synthesize information faster than any person and even simulate questions based on patterns. What it cannot do is wonder. It cannot seek the unknown for its own sake. And that single skill, human curiosity, is not only irreplaceable but increasingly essential. Curiosity fuels innovation, drives learning, and inspires the questions that lead to breakthroughs. It is curiosity that leads us to discover new medicines, re-imagine business models, and challenge the status quo. As Bill Gates noted in his book, Source Code: My Beginnings, 'Curiosity can't be satisfied in a vacuum, of course. It requires nurturing, resources, guidance, support.' He credits his parents for answering his endless stream of questions and encouraging his interests, turning a natural trait into a lifelong advantage. That kind of support is what AI lacks, and what humans thrive on. Why Curiosity Matters More in the Age of AI There was a time when knowing the answers made someone valuable. But now, having the right questions is what sets leaders apart. AI is trained to find answers from data it already has. Humans can ask the questions no one thought to explore. This is where curiosity becomes a leadership differentiator. It opens the door to better decisions, more inclusive workplaces, and adaptable cultures. In a world that prizes efficiency, curiosity may feel like a luxury, but it's a survival skill. And while AI can process vast datasets, it lacks the desire to challenge assumptions or explore without instruction. What AI Curiosity Really Means And What It Misses There is such a thing as 'artificial curiosity.' In fact, one of the more interesting AI experiments came from researchers trying to teach machines how to learn autonomously. In a well-known study, researchers gave an AI agent the goal of exploring levels of a Mario Brothers–style video game without being told what the reward was. The AI used an intrinsic motivation model to keep exploring new territory. It looked like curiosity—but it wasn't. It was a reward function. When I interviewed Dr. Cindy Gordon, CEO of SalesChoice and a global AI thought leader, she emphasized that AI models only reflect the data and the parameters we give them. What appears to be innovation is actually optimization. 'AI doesn't think in the abstract or emotional layers that humans do,' she said. 'It follows what it's fed.' That means true curiosity, the kind that challenges the premise of the question itself, is still uniquely human. How Curiosity Powers Strategic Thinking In The AI-Focused Workplace When I spoke with futurist and sociobiologist Rebecca Costa, she explained that adaptation happens faster when individuals are curious. Her work has shown that the most successful leaders are not necessarily those with the most knowledge, but those with the most drive to explore what they don't know yet. In complex environments, it's not possible to know everything. Curiosity fills the gap. It helps professionals make sense of uncertainty by asking better questions. It fuels resilience, because the curious mind doesn't get stuck when plans shift, it gets interested. This mindset is critical in an era where AI automates the predictable and humans must master the uncertain. Why Curiosity Needs Support To Thrive And AI Doesn't Unlike machines, humans need a supportive environment to explore. That includes psychological safety, leadership encouragement, and a culture that rewards questions rather than just answers. Curiosity declines when people are punished for speaking up or when their ideas are routinely ignored. AI does not require motivation, safety, or encouragement to run its models. But humans do. That means organizations that want to stay competitive must invest in the conditions that keep curiosity alive. That includes hiring for openness, recognizing inquiry, and modeling exploration from the top down. Curiosity Can't Be Coded Like AI, But It Can Be Cultivated One of the biggest myths is that people are either curious or they aren't. In reality, curiosity is a muscle. It can be developed with practice and supported through leadership. When organizations create space for reflection, learning, and experimentation, they cultivate a workforce that can adapt, and even thrive, alongside AI. As Dr. Gordon shared during our conversation, the future will belong to those who can collaborate with AI while still thinking beyond its capabilities. That's why curiosity isn't a soft skill. It's a strategic skill. It helps people interpret nuance, evaluate risk, and consider second-order consequences that machines might miss. Neuroscientist Beau Lotto, who I interviewed about perception and creativity, adds another layer. He explained that true curiosity is driven by a desire to resolve uncertainty, not just collect information. In other words, curiosity is about the courage to confront the unknown and challenge what we believe to be true. What Leaders Must Do To Prioritize Human Curiosity In An AI World Leaders can't assume that curiosity will happen on its own. It must be intentional. That starts with: In short, if your employees feel they must always be right, they will never ask the bold questions that lead to real breakthroughs. Curiosity Is What Makes Us Human And More Valuable Than AI The rise of AI doesn't diminish the value of human talent. It redefines it. The best professionals won't be the ones who memorize the most or respond the fastest. They will be the ones who know how to pause, wonder, and look beyond the obvious. AI may power the future, but curiosity shapes it. And that's a distinctly human advantage worth protecting.
NDTV
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Bill Gates Has Asperger Syndrome, His Daughter Phoebe Reveals
Washington: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has Asperger's syndrome, which comes under the autism spectrum disorder (ASD), his daughter Phoebe Gates has revealed. On this week's episode of the 'Call Her Daddy' podcast, the 22-year-old recollected experiences of bringing her boyfriends home to meet her father, saying, "For the guy, terrifying. For me, it's hilarious because my dad's pretty socially awkward." "Like he's said before, he has Asperger's. So like to me, it's so funny," Phoebe told host Alex Cooper. She also spoke about her partner, Arthur Donald, the 26-year-old grandson of former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney, during her appearance on 'Call Her Daddy.' In February, the 69-year-old billionaire, who has never formally been diagnosed on the spectrum, told NDTV that if he were a young boy growing up in today's world, he would "probably be diagnosed on the autism spectrum". People with ASD frequently exhibit repetitive behaviours, compulsive interests, and trouble communicating and interacting with others. ASD is an intricate developmental condition that impacts communication and social abilities. Speaking to NDTV before his 2025 memoir, Source Code: My Beginnings, was published, the billionaire-philanthropist stated that it was not commonly known as a child that different people's brains processed information differently. However, such a diagnosis is beneficial in the modern world as it helps those on the spectrum understand how their brains function and removes negative stereotypes about them. Mr Gates noted that there were no "guideposts or textbooks" at that time to help his parents understand why their son grew so fixated on specific tasks, failed to catch social cues, and was "rude and inappropriate." Having never received a formal diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, Mr Gates claimed that his parents took him to a therapist when he was a child, who "over a year succeeded in convincing me (that) my mental style might be a positive thing." Mr Gates shares Phoebe with his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates, whom he married in 1994. The couple parted ways in 2021. They also have a son, Rory, who is 25, and a daughter, Jennifer, who is 29.
News18
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
'My Dad's Socially Awkward': Bill Gates' Daughter Reveals He Has Asperger's Syndrome
Last Updated: Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Phoebe shared how her father's personality often made it awkward for men she brought home Phoebe Gates, daughter of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, has revealed that her father has Asperger's syndrome — a condition now recognised as part of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Phoebe shared how her father's personality often made it awkward for men she brought home. 'For the guy, terrifying. For me, it's hilarious because my dad's pretty socially awkward. Like he's said before, he has Asperger's. So, like to me, it's so funny," she said. Phoebe is the youngest of Bill and Melinda French Gates' three children. She recently co-founded Phia, an AI-powered shopping app, with her former Stanford University roommate. Bill Gates on Autism The 69-year-old tech billionaire has never publicly confirmed a formal diagnosis, however, he has previously acknowledged that he likely falls somewhere on the autism spectrum. In his 2025 memoir ' Source Code: My Beginnings ', Gates wrote, 'If I were growing up today, I probably would be diagnosed on the autism spectrum." He reflected on childhood behaviours like becoming intensely focused on projects, struggling with social cues, and being unaware of how his actions affected others. In earlier interviews, Gates had admitted to disliking small talk and preferring solitary work, both common traits associated with ASD. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal in January, Gates had remarked, 'This whole thing of Asperger's or on the spectrum is a fairly new thing, you know? It used to be autism had a fairly narrow definition that was you know clearly identifiable." Asperger's syndrome is now considered a high-functioning form of autism. While both autism and Asperger's involve difficulties with social interaction and repetitive behaviours, those with Asperger's typically have fewer language delays and above-average intelligence. Gates joins a growing list of public figures, including Tesla owner Elon Musk, who have openly discussed being on the autism spectrum. In 2021, Musk revealed that he had Asperger's syndrome. First Published: April 30, 2025, 23:38 IST
