On Narrative, feat. Ken Liu | TRACES Appendix 33

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About the Episode:
A conversation with award winning author Ken Lui about the profound relationship between AI, art, and storytelling, emphasizing that humans inherently process experiences as narratives rather than data. This narrative predisposition profoundly influences our decision-making and societal values. Throughout the conversation, the transformative power of storytelling is discussed not only as a cultural practice but also as a fundamental element of human cognition, suggesting potential avenues for AI development to align with or innovate upon traditional storytelling methods. The dialogue underscores the dynamic nature of storytelling in shaping human understanding and adapting to technological advancements, highlighting its enduring impact on society.

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About the Guest:
Ken Liu (http://kenliu.name) is an American author of speculative fiction. A winner of the Nebula, Hugo, and World Fantasy awards, he wrote the Dandelion Dynasty, a silkpunk epic fantasy series (starting with The Grace of Kings), as well as short story collections The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories and The Hidden Girl and Other Stories. He also penned the Star Wars novel The Legends of Luke Skywalker.

Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Liu worked as a software engineer, corporate lawyer, and litigation consultant. Liu frequently speaks at conferences and universities on a variety of topics, including futurism, machine-augmented creativity, history of technology, bookmaking, and the mathematics of origami.

Set-Up:
- Camera: https://amzn.to/3PZVscb (don't laugh)
- Microphone: https://amzn.to/46f3pB5
- Teleprompter Stand: https://amzn.to/3tgS98y
- Telepromter App: https://amzn.to/46jdH31
- Teleprompter Screen:  https://amzn.to/3PNfKFI (yup)
- Headphones: https://amzn.to/46gMSwo

Timestraps
0:00 Introduction of Kenlou and the episode's focus on AI, art, and storytelling.
1:31 Summary of Kenlou's recent talk at the symbolic systems distinguished speaker lecture, highlighting its influence and key points about AI in art.
3:01 Exploration of how AI can both mimic and innovate artistic processes and how it integrates with traditional forms of creativity.
5:46 Discussion on conceptualizing stories as a technology rather than mere narratives, influencing human cognition and societal structures.
10:01 Examination of how humans prefer narrative over data, impacting our behavior and decisions, with implications for AI development.
15:31 Analysis of storytelling through ages and its evolution with technological advancements, particularly focusing on the digital age.
20:01 Delving into the interaction between storyteller and audience, and how this dynamic is shifting with new media and technologies.
25:01 Speculations on how AI might transform storytelling practices in the future, creating new forms and experiences.
30:01 Discussion on the potential cultural and cognitive impacts of AI-driven storytelling, shaping future human-AI interactions.
35:01 Wrapping up with final thoughts on the ongoing relationship between AI, art, and storytelling and the possible directions for future research and exploration.