There's Been An Under-Discussion (with Natalie Haynes)
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. For almost 50 years, he made us coffee. For me, it was black, for him, it was milk, and always gold, Katriina. It hasn't changed, even though many other things have. Because nowadays, I make coffee. It's hard to make coffee at home, but by looking at the coffee table, I can show that I love the night. And luckily, it never changes. For those who deserve gold. Kulta Katriina. Eläköön suomalainen kahvikulttuuri. Redgo. Apua tien päällä kaikkialla Suomessa. Ja matka jatkuu. Redgo. Hinaus ja tiepalvelut.
Hello and welcome to Strong Message here from BBC Radio 4, a guide to the use and abuse of political language. I'm Amanda Yutti. I'm joined once again back is Natalie Haynes. Hello, hello. Hello. The phrase we're going to be looking at this week is there's been an under discussion. It's not a... It's not a phrase everyone will recognize.
It's not a phrase anyone would use, is it?
Except if you're in charge of an AI company. It was used in a speech, a very recent speech by anthropic school founder Jack Clark. Talked about the risks of AI. First of all, bigged up all the big possibilities and how it was going to be great. And then talked about the potential risks. Well, not potential. He said there's a non-zero chance of killing everyone on the planet. And then went on to say there's been an under discussion of the risks involved. So we're looking at that on the discussion. But first of all, back, you've been, what have you been doing? You were at the Hay-On-Wine Literary Festival?
I certainly was. Yeah, it was incredibly hot. Hot, yes. I was in a tent for quite a lot of that time.
Yeah.
Happily not overnight. Camping with books. Yes, exactly.
Are books bigger or smaller these days?
Well, it depends if you're using them as walls or not. how you can stack them. Yeah, no, it was lovely. It's always lovely. I finished recording the last episode of series 12 of Natalie Haynes stands up for the classics while I was there. So that's coming everyone's way at the end of July.
A little while back I was at Hayes and yes, I was in a tent.
Yes.
And then I realised next to me in another tent was Harold Pinter. And so this is quite... This is a while ago. Yeah, this is some time ago. And I thought, wouldn't it be funny if I got my audience to shout as one, Oi, Harold, what do you mean exactly? LAUGHTER Which they did. LAUGHTER Very loudly. LAUGHTER And then I thought, I'll go away and talk about that for years to come, not realising that I was going to be shepherded into the book signing tent.
No, you had to sit next to her. Sitting next to her. Did you at least have a bigger queue?
Do you know?
How does the language of AI discussions differ from other topics?
I think I did.
Yes.
I think I did. Only because I think, you know, he'd been out there for some time and my crowd had just come out. I think he's the bigger and better writer. I mean, he's got the theatre named after him. That's all I'm saying. I'm prepared to say that. Fine. I have a small meeting room in an old BBC building named after me called the Armando Ucci Meeting Room. And it looks horrendous. Little victories. It's an old photograph of me about six feet high peering over Westminster.
Wow. Okay.
So you just see my eyes in the top of my head. Yeah. And it looks really frightening.
Yeah.
I'd never want to book it. I'd never want to have a meeting in there. But he looked annoyed.
Okay.
And fair enough.
Did he definitely know it was you?
Yes.
What does 'non-zero' mean in the context of AI risks?
Okay.
Yes. So that's my handwriting. I mean, he did really well. Haven't been back since. Yeah, I don't know what you want to say. He did really well. Yes. And on the subject of heat, I'm picking up on this whole new set of climate phrases. Britain was under a heat dome last week. A heat dome. Yes. I'd never come across that before. Is that new?
Yeah, I think it feels like it. I think we might have imported it literally and metaphorically from America.
Right.
Because I think they have heat domes, don't they? They have weather bombs and things like that.
Weather bombs, I know. I mean... Arms in America has always been a contentious issue. So, yeah, I'm going to propose explanation A and explanation B. I think it's actually going to be B. Is it A, to make us feel a bit more alert to how the climate is changing?
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–3:01
2
How does the language of AI discussions differ from other topics?
3:01–3:39
3
What does 'non-zero' mean in the context of AI risks?
3:39–5:54
4
How do Tony Blair's statements reflect the current political climate?
5:54–6:02
5
What are the implications of shouting at Harold Pinter?
6:02–9:36
6
How does climate change relate to the AI conversation?
9:36–15:28
7
What is the significance of the phrase 'under discussion' in AI?
15:28–26:07
8
How do we navigate the moral implications of AI and technology?
26:07–38:20