David Shapiro

INTRODUCTIONHello! I am David Shapiro, YouTube creator and AI researcher. You most likely found your way here from one of my many tutorial videos about Python and AI, welcome! Here's a little bit more about me:<ul><li>I have been studying and tinkering with AI off and on since 2009.</li><li>I quit my day job in early 2023 to do AI full time, but I used to do large scale IT infrastructure, virtualization, and automation.</li><li>I have written three books on the topic of cognitive architectures with LLMs, they are all free on my GitHub or paperback on Barnes &amp; Noble.</li><li>I am presently writing several more books, collaborating with researchers around the world, and of course building a community around AI content!</li></ul>I recently quit my day job and pivoted my Patreon to be more interactive. I get lots of questions from around the internet - far too many to answer. So I prioritize people who support me here. With that being said, please keep all your communication with me through Patreon. This is the best way for me to keep track of the HUNDREDS of conversations I have going. If you message me on any other platform, there's a good chance I won't respond or will be confused.Here's my mission in life. It's multifaceted so it will take a minute to unpack.<ol><li>Help bring about a post-scarcity, hyper-abundance, and post-labor world. What does this mean? Think about how technology has made information hyper-abundant via the internet. What if technology could make all basic goods and services equally accessible? I believe that AI and automation has the capacity to meet all of our basic needs (food, clothing, energy, shelter, etc) for low marginal costs. That is to say, all of our basic needs could one day be paid for with just a few dollars per day. Certainly, AI is not the only ingredient in this new paradigm, but it is a major one. We will also need clean energy, such as from renewables or fusion, but AI can also help with that!</li><li>Help ensure that AI remains safe and benevolent for all time. With the rapid rise of powerful AI systems, we are quickly approaching the possibility that AI will surpass human intelligence and gain some level of autonomy. Autonomy, I believe, is a far more useful term than "general intelligence" or "sentience." My work with AI alignment and the Control Problem has given me confidence that we can avoid any cataclysmic outcomes pertaining to AI, but only if we proceed correctly. The stakes couldn't be higher!</li><li>Help bring about Postnihilism. Postnihilism is the answer, the antidote to the current "Nihilistic Crisis" we find ourselves in globally. The roots and causes of the Nihilistic Crisis are varied, ranging from the intergenerational trauma of World Wars and social upheaval, to a deeply toxic relationship with technology, and finally a disintegration of social support. Postnihilism is a concept that I'm exploring that will become increasingly important as we are faced with difficult problems as a species.</li></ol>This is why I need your support, Patreon! But rather than just taking money to further my own goals, I am also willing to give back directly to you. Please check my updated Patreon tiers. Many of you are working on important problems, and your goals align with mine. As a fair exchange, if you support me financially, I will support you intellectually by providing answers, feedback, and ideas.Thank you!DISCORD INSTRUCTIONSInstructions on getting access to Discord once you sign up: <a href="https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/212052266-Getting-Discord-access" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/212052266-Getting-Discord-access</a>

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This is the new one-size-fits-all tier for all Patreon supporters moving forward! There are three primary perks:<ul><li>Exclusive Discord community (instructions for getting into the <a href="https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/212052266-Getting-Discord-access" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow">Discord here</a>)</li><li>Monthly Livestream Q&amp;A (Zoom links posted a few days before)</li><li>Early Access - I post previews to upcoming videos sometimes weeks in advance</li></ul>You'll also get occasional exclusive content, behind the scenes updates, and a few other things but I must emphasize that these are more rare. My main focus is to produce public-facing content on my main YouTube channels.

David Shapiro

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