Join Jeffrey Berger, Ph.D. (Theoretical Physicist, Technologist, Founder and CTO) and Noah Landow (Founder and CEO at Macktez) for an informal conversation between an expert in the mathematical tools of computation and the founder of a technology consulting firm.
Jeffrey doesn’t just talk theory; he is a hands-on technologist who builds at every level. After completing his Ph.D. in theoretical particle physics, he has spent decades tackling complex tech challenges in industry, from launching products from scratch to optimizing systems handling millions in transactions. In our conversation we’ll apply that first-principles mindset to one of the most provocative questions in tech: is AI actually “thinking?”
While AI products and marketing often use the term “thinking” we will dive into what these models are doing mathematically — probabilistic token generation and the sophisticated patterns of the Transformer architecture. We’ll explore the historical roles of the Turing test as a mathematical litmus for consciousness and discuss the evolving landscape of “thinking engines,” from neural networks, to surprising emergent behaviors; we’ll touch on some of the many concepts of what defines consciousness in speculative fiction, biology, and neuroscience, but focus mainly on what perspective theoretical and applied mathematics can tell us about what is actually happening inside the generative machine learning systems commonly called “AI.”
Join us at the Macktez office after work for snacks, drinks, and a friendly deep dive into the intersection of mathematics, AI, and the nature of consciousness. No Ph.D. required.