The Local Maximum with Max Sklar - podcast cover

The Local Maximum with Max Sklar

Expand Your Perspectivelocalmaximum.substack.com
Join Max Sklar and guests in this podcast about AI, technology, and society. Email [email protected] for questions and feedback. Show notes page on the website: www.localmaxradio.com

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Episodes

Ep. 207 - Max Returns with Priors

Max returns for an in-person recording. Discussion of political comedy and the return of Jon Stewart. Then we ask: how do you form uninformed Bayesian priors? Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 11, 20221 hr 7 min

Ep. 206 - Topics for the New Year

Max brings up a bunch of new news topics and expands on some old ones that are likely to be important in the new year. - Is the New York Times being sneaky in the Tech Section? - Would you like an alexa that moves around in your house? - Recognizing that there is a war for truth. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Jan 04, 202232 min

Ep. 205 - Developer Hegemony with Erik Dietrich

Max exchanges views with author Erik Deitrich on the drawbacks of software engineering organizations and what to do about it. localmaxradio.com/205 Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Dec 28, 202139 min

Ep. 204 - Free Speech, Moderation, and Censorship with Johnny Nelson

Max talking to Johnny Nelson (@generativist) about how platforms that use a top-down approach to content moderation can lead to the worst of all worlds, and how we might build a bottom-up system. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Dec 21, 202154 min

Ep. 203 - Iraq and Social Choice Theory

Max and Aaron discussion the rule change that the Iraqi government has made in their elections and what this means from a social choice theory stand point. They compare world political systems, and discuss the problem of apportionment and the mathematical paradoxes it creates. localmaxradio.com/203 Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe...

Dec 14, 202149 min

Ep. 202 - Tech Giants at their Saturation Points

Max discusses recent developments in Twitter, Facebook, and Google, all tech giants who have reached their saturation points and how they are dealing with it. Jack Dorsey ditches Twitter and hands it off to go off the rails towards a editorial/propaganda network. Facebook's "Meta" change is like Mark Zuckerberg's Mid-Life Crisis according to Marc Cenedella. Chris Dixon's Tweet Storm about Web 3 explains what's happening. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe...

Dec 07, 202141 min

Ep. 201 - Andrew Gelman, Statistical Insights

Max interviews Professor Andrew Gelman of Columbia on Bayesian Inference, Research, Political Prognostication, Descriptive vs Causal work, and areas of computational research. localmaxradio.com/201 Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Nov 30, 202134 min

Ep. 200 - Milestone Metachat

Max and Aaron pull out some interesting stats from the first 200 episodes of the Local Maximum Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Nov 23, 202156 min

Ep. 199 - Regenerating the Past with AI

Max looks at the recent availability of AI technologies including GANs and ML Techniques in open source software to take old photos and videos and restore them to today's standards. He also discusses what this tech success might mean for the future. How well can we generate a 3d world from a photograph, and how would machines be filling in the blanks? Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe...

Nov 16, 202131 min

Ep. 198 - Passive Computing

Max breaks out his 2016 blog posts on passive computing, a possibility for the next wave of computer human interfaces and software platforms. We discussion how much of it has actually played out. localmaxradio.com/198 Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Nov 09, 202134 min

Ep. 197 - Industry Shifts with Meta, Rumble, and Locals

Max discusses Facebook's rebranding to Meta, the merger between Rumbles and Locals, and the upcoming mayoral election in NYC. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Nov 02, 202133 min

Ep. 196- Viking Tree Rings and the Prospects of a Trump Social

Max and Aaron get together late one night to give you the October New Update, covering - The dating of the Viking Settlement in Newfoundland - The Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong hailing his policy of removing political activism at work 1 year on - The prospects of a Trump Social Network, and our predictions about it - A previous of a future episode where we'll discuss a previous blog post from Max on Passive Computing Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe...

Oct 26, 202148 min

Ep. 195 - Why We Sample

Max talks about sampling, the reasons for it, and reviews what he's learned about it. Also following stories on the AI Bill of Rights, and Employee power and activism in the workplace. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 19, 202135 min

Ep. 194 - Steve Jobs

On the 10th anniversary of his death, Max and Aaron review the lessons and warnings from the life of Apple-founder Steve Jobs. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 12, 20211 hr

Ep. 193 - New Beginnings

Max is interviewed by Aaron about his recent departure from Foursquare (again), the upgrades to the podcast studio, and future plans. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 05, 202154 min

Ep. 192 - What is Intelligence

In the context of artificial intelligence and machine learning, today's episode focused on the nature of intelligence, and how it related to concepts like understanding, consciousness, and programmability. The show also opens with a discussion of the explainability of in AI, and research on toxic language models. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe...

Sep 28, 202142 min

Ep. 191 - Tracking Big Trends with Ed McCormack

Today's guest is DChained Founder EdMcCormack, and we talk about some of the long term trends on the internet - social media, big data, privacy, blockchain, and business models. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 21, 202146 min

Ep. 190 - Layers in Truth Seeking, Smart Toilets, and Set Theory Counting

Today's solo episode covers: - Peter Boghossian's Resignation Letter and the Evolution of the Academy away from Truth Seeking to Ideological Rigidity - How to create layers of communities for truth and peace - The latest news in smart toilets, promise of health plus security concerns - The set theory principle of inclusion and exclusion in set theory and how the mathematical jump from "union" to "addition" is a difficult one Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subsc...

Sep 14, 202131 min

Ep. 188 - September 11th Recall Part I - The Before Time

On the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, Max and Aaron have a 2 part discussion to combine personal recollections with some light historical research. This part covers the key differences between life and the news cycle in 2000-2001 and today along with personal experiences leading up to the morning of September 11th. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Sep 07, 202152 min

Ep. 187 - Coding from Natural Language, NYT Tech Walkout, Off Predictions

Today's news update covers OpenAI's Demo where they showed how a natural language interface could be used to write code. What does this mean, and where will it be useful? We also cover the walkout of tech journalists at the New York Times, and people talking about their failed tech predictions on Twitter. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 31, 202145 min

Ep. 186 - Cubans embrace Bitcoin amidst Monetary Oppression, and the Last Jew in Afghanistan

Today's news update goes international to talk about the intersection between technology and global events. Cubans are using Bitcoin to go around their country's insane currency system. OnlyFans bans porn to placate banks in the UK. In Afghanistan, the last remaining Jewish residence refuses to leave the country as the Taliban come in. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe...

Aug 24, 202148 min

Ep. 185 - Goldbacks in Your Pocket with Benjamin Shaffer

Max talks to Benjamin Shaffer about a new product called Goldbacks, which are bills that can fit in your wallet and are made of gold. This innovation allows people to transact in small denominations of gold. They discuss how this fits in with our changing monetary system of fiat and bitcoin. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 17, 202155 min

Ep. 184 - Academic Freedom, Crypto Regs, and Security Devices

Max talks about a video on anti-Semitism by professor Henry Abramson getting censored on YouTube, the meaning of academic freedom, and the fight over Bitcoin and crypto regulations in the US Senate. Then, he proposes a new personal security device that may one day be ubiquitous. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 10, 202131 min

Ep. 183 - The Metaverse and Digits

Max and Aaron discuss Facebook's plan to develop a metaverse, and Max shares his thoughts and theories on our number system Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Aug 03, 20211 hr 7 min

Ep. 182 - Focal Points and Written Constitutions

Max talks about a concept in game theory called a Focal Point. Also, looking at US history, talks about ways in which written constitutions can succeed or fail. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 27, 202136 min

Ep. 181 - Redacting your Secrets

Patricia Thaine, CEO of Private AI, talks to Max about using AI for redaction, and preserving privacy. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 20, 202133 min

Ep. 180 - Branson, Bezos, and Musk dash to Space

Today's discussion centers around the space race among privately owner companies. This includes Richard Branson's first voyage to with virgin galactic. Also - the proposed flying car! Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe

Jul 13, 202145 min

Ep. 179 - New York attempts Ranked Choice Voting

New York City's democratic primary is in the midst of a vote-counting debacle that may go on for weeks. This is their first time using ranked choice voting, but criticism of RCV can be conflating with other problems in the electoral process. Max and Aaron break it down with inside knowledge of NYC politics, social choice theory, and potential solutions. Get full access to The Local Maximum at localmaximum.substack.com/subscribe...

Jul 06, 202156 min
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