Can AI help us find common ground?

Michiel Bakker has done it all — quantum science, real estate in Yangon, selling flowers online in London, a PhD at MIT, DeepMind, and now teaching at MIT. His latest mission? Using AI to help people agree — not divide.

In this episode, we dive into how AI can mediate tough disagreements, reflect diverse perspectives, and scale healthier decision-making in a polarized world. We also talk about the future of work, the risks of AI misuse, and what makes Michiel such a creatively wired thinker.

This is the kind of research the world needs — and the kind we should be funding. Technology for humanity starts here.

#AIForGood #ResponsibleAI #TechForHumanity #FutureOfWork
#CollectiveIntelligence #AIAlignment #MIT

(00:00:00) Intro
(00:00:45) Michiel’s journey — from quantum science, the real estate business in Yangon, and selling flowers online in London, to pursuing a PhD at MIT, working at DeepMind, and becoming a professor at MIT
(00:04:19) What was Michiel like as a child, and how did growing up in the Netherlands and the Dutch education system shape his academic journey?
(00:06:48) What motivated Michiel to apply to a PhD program in the U.S.?
(00:08:14) What is Michiel working on? AI for collective decision-making, and AI safety & alignment
(00:09:38) Why bringing consensus through AI is critical in today’s polarized world. How does AI navigate delicate topics and human complexity? Why is mediation hard to scale and expensive?
(00:12:30) How are minority points of view reflected in the research? Why AI systems need to understand diverse perspectives
(00:14:33) How do we ensure transparency in AI models?
(00:17:03) How scalable is this research for real-world applications?
(00:18:41) What are the concrete risks of trying to mediate with AI?
(00:19:52) How should we prepare for an AI-mediated future?
(00:20:59) What about AI concerns Michiel, and what excites him most?
(00:24:41) Are research funding cuts affecting this type of investigation?
(00:27:00) With the rise of AI, what kinds of professions will exist in the future?
(00:30:47) What is Michiel’s superpower? Social energy combined with creativity

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