MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU - APRIL 1 - 7.16PM - 2019

Marcus du Sautoy - Sheldonian - 5.00pm

Assume this fullstop “.” is the Earth. That the next one to it is Mars “..” And so on to Pluto “.......”. Continuing that sense of scale and the fact I’m writing this in Bodleian’s Weston Library on Broad Street, Marcus du Sautoy’s intellect would almost certainly stretch as far as Debenhams. Funnily enough, coming out of the talk ‘The Creativity Code: How AI is Learning to Write, Paint and Think’ I felt - and still do - the same kind of buzz I felt when I first walked out of ‘Star Wars’ back in 1977. Just that sense of...EVERYTHING’S CHANGED! And here’s the thing; it’s impossible to write an academic, considered review of this event. The notes I took are flat and lifeless but here’s a quick resume anyway - * everyone, as usual, told to switch off their phones - interesting, du Sautoy asks everyone to switch them back on * brilliantly interactive - audience, via phones, now vote on which of two Rembrandt paintings is real and which is AI * same test with Bach and Chopin. * AI version of Harry Potter book * ‘77 Drake cinema Probably best way to sum all this up is point out that whereas previously, I’ve always founds talks on AI depressing and disturbing, this makes me frustrated as hell I can’t fast forward 50 years to see where it takes us. Or, to put it another way... “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.”