Episode Details

AI may keep getting bigger, but does that mean it becomes conscious? In this condensed episode of Into The Impossible, host Brian Keating talks with Meta neuroscientist David Sussillo about why scale alone won’t create consciousness, what transformers really changed, and how AI compares with biological brains. Original episode: longer full-length conversation; this summary: a quick listen in minutes. Sussillo explains why current models are powerful but fragile, why embodied intelligence matters, and how his work on an EMG wristband for AR glasses could advance brain-computer interfaces and neural data research. The discussion also explores AI alignment, technology ethics, machine learning, and the idea that “more is different” across physics, biology, and cognition. Sussillo shares personal reflections from his memoir Emergence, including resilience, mentorship, and how science and life can both emerge through nonlinear paths. Listen now to get the key ideas in minutes.