Dear Futurists,

Friends of London Futurists at Emerging Tech Radar (ETR) have kindly agreed to make available a small number of tickets to an online event they’re holding this Wednesday (12th July).

Read on for more details of that event, and for several other items of news.

1.) AI Safety and Digital Commons

Here’s a quote from the distinguished technology entrepreneur Hermann Hauser:

The Emerging Tech Radar event brings together a knowledgeable group of people with a deep understanding of where technology is going. It was a pleasure to participate.

And this is from Mark White, a VC at Midven and at the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund:

The Emerging Tech Radars are high quality and I always do my best to make as much time in the day as I can. They are almost invariably interesting in content, cover a wide range of topics and are usually broad in their approach to each area. As an early stage ‘deeptech’ investor used to having companies argue that their approach is the best or even the only possible way to reach the sunny uplands, I really appreciate the way in which the talks rarely attempt to pitch any one path or technology but show a depth of understanding of the complexities and uncertainties of new technologies.

The Emerging Tech Radar team are running another event this Wednesday, 12th July, from 9am to 2pm UK time. It will take place online. The theme on this occasion is “AI Safety and Digital Commons”.

ETR have kindly agreed to make a small number of places available to members of the London Futurists community who can bring significant interest and experience to the event.

If you’d like to find out more about this event, including the list of speakers and topics, please view this Google Form.

That form is also where you can submit your application to be invited to take part.

Attendance is free of charge but numbers are strictly limited, and invitations are dependent on approval from the organisers.

Invitations will be sent to successful applicants by 5pm UK time on Tuesday 11th July at the latest.

Please accept our apologies in advance if it is not possible to accommodate you on this occasion.

2.) Questions about AGI, with Peter Scott

London Futurists will be back in Birkbeck College on Saturday 12th August.

Our guest on this occasion will be Peter Scott, the host of the renowned podcast “Artificial Intelligence and You”, which has released over 150 episodes since its launch in June 2020. The theme of Peter’s podcast is “What is AI? How will it affect your life, your work, and your world?” Peter’s guests include a who’s who of AI pioneers, experts, analysts, and critics, as well as some lesser known names with perspectives that are unusual but important.

Peter will be brining us up to date on August 12th with what he has learned from his guests and his own recent research – particularly on the growing capabilities of generative AI systems and the potential creation of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence).

This will be a prelude to a wide-ranging group conversation that will explore options on the most critical questions about AI and AGI.

For more details, and to register to attend, click here.

After the conclusion of the event in Birkbeck, we’ll be taking a short walk to the Marlborough Arms pub, where we’ll continue informal discussions on futurist topics. There’s a separate meetup page to register for that – so we can track numbers more accurately.

As you’ll see, there’s a small (£10) charge to register for the Birkbeck event, which is to help cover our room hire charges there. There’s no charge to register for the “In the Pub” event, but the pub staff will expect us to buy drinks and/or refreshments from time to time.

3.) “The Death of Death” is now on sale

I’ll close with some news that many of you have long been anticipating: the English language version of the book The Death of Death is now available.

For example, you can purchase a copy (either paperback or Kindle) via Amazon UK here.

Here’s the commendation for The Death of Death by Professor George Church of Harvard and MIT:

José and David have captured the spirit of what may be the greatest revolution in history. Not some abstract far distant promise but an exponential growth of rigorous discovery and technology in our midst but understood by only a few. This clear prose will help you join the conversation and choose a path. You should definitely read this international bestseller.

You’ll find lots of other heartfelt commendations here. (But be warned: this page may play audio, so be ready to mute it, if you’re in a quiet place…)

Versions of the book are coming out in new languages on a regular basis. You can find all the links here.

Since the book was first released – in Spanish, as La Muerte de la Muerte – the field of anti-aging research has moved ahead in leaps and bounds. José and I have needed to make significant updates for the latest editions – although the underlying message remains clear. It’s no longer a question of whether aging can be reversed in humans. It’s a question of when.

If you purchase a copy, many thanks! And if you like what you read in the book, kindly leave a positive 5-star review on your bookseller’s website, to encourage others to explore the content too.

// David W. Wood
Chair, London Futurists