Explore the provocative question of whether humans are becoming domesticated pets to artificial intelligence in this thought-provoking lecture by computer scientist Professor Matt Jones. Examine the parallels between pet domestication and human-AI relationships, using the metaphor of dogs trading wild freedom for comfort and care to understand how AI might be reshaping human agency and autonomy. Discover different models of AI futures through an innovative "pet spectrum" framework, comparing "Dog AI" (personalized care and convenience), "Cat AI" (meaningful exit options), "Reptile AI" (designed choices), "Bird AI" (creativity within constraints), and "Fish AI" (fragile perfection). Investigate the benefits and costs of AI-mediated life, from health monitoring and gamified engagement to the quantification of human experience into data dashboards. Analyze how AI systems are increasingly managing human behavior across all life stages, from babies to aging adults, and consider the tension between protection and empowerment in smart home environments. Delve into the nature of intelligence itself, questioning the "ladder" model of intelligence and exploring alternative frameworks that include slime molds, octopuses, crows, and dogs. Understand why large language models function as "stochastic parrots" that mimic without true comprehension, and discover the concept of "Crow AI" - narrow, specialized tools that excel at specific tasks. Learn about animal-computer interaction principles and explore "rewilding AI" approaches that prioritize human agency, diversity, and humane design. Gain insights from Jones's extensive work with communities in India, South Africa, and Kenya, and his collaborations with major technology companies and government organizations, as he challenges you to consider whether you want to remain a well-cared-for pet or reclaim your wild, autonomous nature in an AI-dominated world.

Syllabus

// Welcome + series recap: how AI might change us
// The paradox: AI becoming human vs humans becoming AI
// From Tamagotchi to “emotional AI” digital pets 2025
// Big question: will we become AI’s pets?
// Dogs & domestication: trading freedom for comfort
// Pet spectrum as AI futures: cat, reptile, bird, fish
// “Dog AI”: personalized care, health monitoring, convenience
// The downside: quantifying life into data & dashboards
// Gamified nudges: Duolingo-style engagement and control
// “Cat AI” = meaningful exit; “reptile AI” = designed choices
// “Bird AI” = creativity behind bars; “fish AI” = fragile perfection
// Who wants to be a wolf? Reclaiming wild agency
// AI taming across life: babies, work, and behavior monitoring
// Aging & smart homes: protection vs empowerment
// A better model: in-home sensors for reflection, not surveillance
// Generative AI reports: benefits, mistakes, and misread lives
// Where do LLMs fit? Rethinking what “intelligence” means
// Ladder vs landscape: slime mold, octopus, crows, dogs
// “Stochastic parrot”: why LLMs mimic without understanding
// “Crow AI” in practice: narrow tools that do one thing well
// Animal-computer interaction: designing tech to empower beings
// Rewilding AI: principles for humane, diverse, agency-first design
// Final provocation: pet or wilder?