Discussion of "A Brief History of Intelligence"

This event will be held online via Zoom.

Event Summary

The recent book "A Brief History of Intelligence: Evolution, AI, and the Five Breakthroughs That Made Our Brains" by Max Bennett is a comprehensive and engaging exploration of the nature of intelligence, from its evolutionary origins to its potential future. Bennett draws on philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, and artificial intelligence to provide a rich and nuanced understanding of this complex phenomenon. As we come towards the end of the Austin Forum’s “AI April,” reading and discussing this book will help us understand more about both human and artificial intelligence, the similarities and differences, and the implications of artificial intelligence for the future of humanity.

This event is open to everyone, as active discussion participants and as passive listeners. Austin Forum executive director Jay Boisseau will provide a summary of the book and moderate a discussion of its key points and main themes. We encourage everyone to read the book in advance (especially for discussion), but it is not required. We look forward to a thoughtful, lively conversation!

Registration and Attendance Instructions

Online via Zoom

Once you register via Ticketbud, you will receive the direct Zoom link in your confirmation email. You will also receive the Zoom link in a reminder email one day before the event.

We will not admit anyone into the Zoom meeting who attempts to join 15 minutes past the start time.

About the Moderator

Jay Boisseau, Executive Director, ​Austin Forum on Technology & Society and CEO, Vizias

Jay is the executive director and founder of The Austin Forum on Technology & Society, which he started in 2006 and is now the leading monthly technology outreach and engagement event in Austin--and starting to attract national and even international attendees online. The Austin Forum is one of the pillars of the Austin tech scene, providing connections to information, ideas, collaborations, and community overall. Through Vizias, Jay also founded the Austin Smart City Alliance (July 2015, formerly Austin CityUP Consortium) and currently serves as the Executive Director, with a vision of creating an integrated smart city fabric throughout Austin—leveraging mobile devices and IoT data collectors, as well as supercomputers and AI for predictive analytics and scenario simulation—in the years ahead to address city issues, empower city planning, and improve city life in general.