Advanced Technology and Human Performance

Moran Cerf weighs in on whether AI is indeed the biggest threat to humanity.

In 1945 the "Atomic Scientists" (Albert Einstein, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Edward Teller, etc.) started a bulletin where they published their thoughts about nuclear existential threats.

In the 78 years since the initiation of the "Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists" many other threats to humanity have emerged - including recently Climate Change and AI. However the biggest threat to our species still comes from within.

Our brain is constantly challenged by the world we created. Moran Cerf's article "If you worry about humanity, you should be more scared of humans than of AI” came out in the September issue of the Bulletin and discusses the biggest threat to humanity.

Moran Cerf’s research was turned into an off-Broadway show “Bioadapted”, a play inspired by Moran Cerf’s work (recently reviewed by the NY Times) addresses some of the most contemporary dimensions of AI, analytics, sensory substitution, and neuroscience in an accessible and performative fashion.

Performed at the Culture Lab LIC.

(“Behind the scenes of your thinking, your customers/colleagues/competitors thinking, and how to improve/change it”)

Description:

Based on Prof. Cerf’s textbook , this class takes you behind the scenes of thinking.

The class explains the new methods of understanding brain functions relevant to business leaders (persuasion, engagement, attention, emotions, memory, risk assessment, decision-making, etc.) and ways to improve those.

The class includes a short overview of how the brain works, some new methods used by neuroscientists to probe cognitive processes, how to improve those, and how to change those, The class will focus on a number of case-studies and use-cases of neuroscience in today’s business needs.

Tailored to the audience functions, the model incorporates topics such as: neuroscience in marketing (how to understand customers better, and how to gauge/calibrate needs: pricing, persuasion, ideal product/brand offering, etc.), in finance (how to better assess risk, understand personal biases ,tame impulsive and habitual trading experiences, etc.), in decision-making (how to identify your optimal brain conditions for decision-making), in accounting (how to perfect mental accounting, temporal discounting challenges, individual blindspots, etc.), leadership (how to regulate emotions, improve mental capacity, sleep, memory, information consolation, etc.), and analytics (improve intuition skills, identify patterns in big data, integrate thinkings with machine performance).

The class is typically taught as a week-long course. A single-class version is available as an overview of the type of domains where consumer neuroscience is helpful, with a selected set of examples and key takeaways, along with the necessary tools and jargon to afford the audience to continue the learning. The class includes a survey of novel technologies, the industry as a whole and its potential and key players, along with demonstration of some tools and techniques that are becoming accessible to the business world.

We all make a handful of very big decisions in our lives. Those include decisions like who to marry, where to live, to have children, etc. Leaders may increase this number to a few more (i.e., acquire an expensive asset, reorganizing a company) but still the number of those decisions is small and finite. This means that most of us will not have a lot of history and statistics on how to make those decisions when we confront them. This class teaches you how to approach those decisions (termed by scholars: “High-risk, Low-probability choices”).

Prof. Cerf has been tasked, over the last 3 years, with helping leaders (namely, the U.S. government) prepare key stakeholder (i.e., the President) to make one of the most critical decisions even: launch nuclear weapons.

The lessons from this exercise, along with some simulations of critical decision processes will be at the heart of this class. The participants will learn the rules pertaining to those choices (i.e., “Pre-mortems”, “Red teaming decisions”, “Chain of conversation”, etc.) and exercise “making big decisions in teams and individually”. The class revolves around a series of “war-games” simulations where participants tackle a complicated scenario comprised of numerous decisions, in real time, with ambiguous information and high stakes. This exercises are followed by a detailed debrief on the lessons and the key takeaways concerning critical decision-making. On top of the group simulations, a number of sessions are dedicated to teams decisions where an assessment of the group decision mechanisms are conducted.

This class takes the participants through a complete overview of key technologies that are likely to shape the coming decade. From Robotics and engineerings to gene editing. From Cryptocurrencies to Quantum computers. Taking the 30 domains that the World Economic Forum deemed “most likely to shape the coming decade” and ensuring the students are equipped to be at the forefront of their business applications.

The aim of the program is to bring participants to a level of understanding of these technologies that will allow them to understand the jargon in the various fields, to confidently challenge assumption in those technologies, to engage in exchanges with experts in the respective fields, and to be certain in their knowledge and the ability to keep up with the evolution of those disciplines.

The class covers some of the most cutting-edge technologies and dives deep beyond a “high-level survey”. The participants will become familiar with the concepts and theories governing those technologies in a deeper level (from the business landscape to the mechanisms/equations that are at the heart of each technology).

The class includes a dedicated session, where the participants tackle an innovation session in each technology and are guided through implementing the technology in a current function in their organization/function (i.e., “exercising an implementation of Blockchain technology in a current solution the organization is working through” with the guidance of the professors).

For each technology discussed, the class will explore its essential working(“How it works”), uses (“Use cases”), implementations (“Case studies of current implementations”), integration (“Business solutions, and current market assessment of the technology”), and where it is heading (“Future trends”).

In addition to the class itself, the program includes an open “Q&A” session where participants are invited to bring their own domain interests which the professors will address. Finally, if the participants currently work through some challenged in the usage of the technology, the class will add a “Consulting” session where participants will workshop concrete dedicated solutions with the instructors.

The technologies discussed in this module keep changing as new ones emerge. Accordingly, we offer participants the option to select - out of a list (see next page) - the ones that they want to include in the program. We also offer participants the option to select a number of technologies that will be discussed in a ‘survey’ session, where we will address the essentials of those additional technologies.

Current technologies discussed:

Cyber-security: Hacking techniques and protections, Dark Web management, Cryptography

Web: Blockchain technology and Trust Architectures (Web 3, Tokens, Proofs of Work, Contracts, etc.), Advanced Networks (i.e., Internet backbone technology, 5G, etc.)

AI: Applied AI Principles, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Neural Networks, Large Language Models, Data analytics principles (including big data analytics tools, regulatory issues, and current ethical dilemmas)

Software: Metaverse technologies (i.e., xR), Contemporary coding tools (i.e., Kubernetes, Docker)

Gaming: Gaming industry, Gamification principles

Hardware/Robotics: Advanced automation (i.e., Industrial IoT, Robotics Process Automation), Internet of Things (Consumer based)

Biology and healthcare: CRISPR and novel gene editing, Advances in Biomedical engineering (i.e., RNA therapeutics), Future healthcare technologies

Physics: Quantum Computing and advanced computing (i.e., Neuromorphic chips), Advanced materials (i.e., Nanomaterials, Graphene)

Neuroscience: Consumer neuroscience, Brain-Machine Interfaces (i.e., neural implants, addiction in devices, etc.)

Environment: Clean technologies (i.e., nuclear fusion, carbon-neutral energy generation, Sustainable development), etc.), Ag-Tech

Why do some images and graphic figures engage us and make us understand complex concepts easily and some tire us and do not resonate with us? In this module we will cover basic communication skills, how to engage the brain and ensure memorability of your messages, how to create compelling and clear messages, and how to turn complex data into meaningful presentations. The course will focus on enhanced data visualization techniques and tools, with the aim of helping people identify the optimal ways to deliver data that sticks.

The module will teach participants on the contemporary data dashboards and ways to use them optimally for various information needs. Even if you are not the person making the dashboard, this module will teach you how to ensure that your ideas are accurately portrayed in the data. Finally, this module will provide concrete frameworks to ensure tips and tricks for efficient communication.

In the module, participants will use their organization’s data to work through practical ways of communicating it and simplify it.

"300 nuclear missiles are heading your way. you must respond. what now?”
Financial Times review of Moran Cerf's work on critical decision-making using AI.

Columbia University | Financial Times

"Nuclear War Could End the World but What if It’s All in Our Heads?”
New York Times review of Moran Cerf’s recent efforts to incorporate neuroscience into the U.S nuclear launch protocols.

Nuclear War Could End the World, but What if It’s All in Our Heads?

“How humans plus machines will equal amazing advancement”
An article by Moran Cerf on the power of AI to enhance human performance. Radiologists won’t lose their jobs to AI, they will lose their jobs to radiologist who who work with AI.

How Humans Plus Machines Will Equal Amazing Advancements

“Wagering on wild weather can change minds about climate change”
An article covering Moran Cerf and Sandra Matz’ research on the potential of business instruments to become more concerned about climate change risks.

Wagering on Wild Weather Can Change Minds About Climate Change

themessenger.com

“Envisioning new possibilities for climate and data at the climate conference”
Report on the Climate x Data conference where the climate change work was presented. (See also the published policy brief and the academic paper)

Envisioning New Possibilities for Climate and Data at the Climate Conference | CBS Insights