Dartmouth Events

Comparing AIs and the Human Brain: the Challenge of Agency

Fields Medalist David Mumford will speak about the future of AIs in the Reese Prosser Memorial Lecture

9/23/2026
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Kemeny Hall 008
Intended Audience(s): Public
Categories: AI at Dartmouth, Lectures & Seminars, School of Arts and Sciences

https://math.dartmouth.edu/photos/rotate/prosser-poster-mumford-sep-2026.pdf

Abstract: AIs started with "neural nets" in the 1940's, inspired by neurons, and the brain continues to have many parallels to AI with the introduction of transformers and scalability. I believe that future AIs will benefit by borrowing more ideas from the brain and from human life. Looking at human development, it is not until age 18 (or 21) that people are considered adults, hence given rights to act as they wish. They are then given AGENCY, to plan and take actions in the world freely. Silicon Valley today assumes that limited agency can be grafted on large language models easily. But is that true? The purpose of this talk is to analyze what seems to be missing.

 

 

 

For more information, contact:
Jennifer Kobayashi
jennifer.l.kobayashi@dartmouth.edu
Permanent URL to this event: https://mals.dartmouth.edu/events/event?event=82334

Events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.