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The Intersubjective Consensus Problem

Talk Sriram, Benitesh Raalo

Sriram, founder of IGEN Layer and faculty at University of Washington, discusses the intersubjective consensus problem in blockchain systems and proposes an abstract layer solution on Ethereum. The talk explores how blockchains enable self-enforcing commitments for human coordination and cooperation, and what a more protocolized world governed by such systems could look like.

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AI as Normal Technology

A speaker presents a paper proposing 'AI as Normal Technology'—an alternative framework to the superintelligence narrative that emphasizes social and institutional bottlenecks over technological progress alone, arguing that AI's transformative effects will unfold over decades similar to electricity and the internet rather than causing overnight disruption. The speaker challenges the conceptual coherence of 'superintelligence' as a framework, reframing the discussion around incremental technological integration and labor transformation.

cognitive-automation governance normal-technology

Benet (mentioned as prior influence)

Talk

AI as the Anti-product – Guest Talk with Peter Wang

Peter Wang, co-founder of Anaconda and leader of their AI business, discusses AI as an anti-product—arguing against treating AI as a traditional consumer product. Wang explores how AI development infrastructure and scientific computing tools shape the actual practices of AI developers, contrasting the hype around AI products with the unglamorous low-level plumbing that enables them.

ai-as-anti-product ai-developer-practices ai-development-tools

Peter Wang

Talk

Emmett Shear: Alignment Protocols

Emmett Shear, former CEO of Twitch and interim CEO of OpenAI, argues that alignment between AI agents is a capability enabled by protocol rather than a fixed property of individual agents. He contends that alignment is an ongoing process requiring skill and coordination, and introduces his recently founded company Softmax, which focuses on protocol-based approaches to AI alignment by drawing parallels between community/connection dynamics and agent coordination.

ai-agents alignment-protocols capability-vs-property

Emmett Shear