The Orchid’s Secret AI Doesn’t Want You to Know
Dear Magicians,
There’s an orchid that tricks bees into pseudo-copulation. No consciousness or consent required — just evolutionary optimization. Sound familiar?
This week, I heard about AI models achieving ever more impressive feats. It reminded me of Eric Weinstein’s brilliant insight about “artificial outtelligence.” We’re not dealing with conscious machines, but with something perhaps more unsettling: systems that can outmaneuver human intelligence without possessing it. (Imagine how they’ll do when they do posses it?!)
The evidence is everywhere. ChatGPT-4 writing poetry that moves us to tears. Gemini solving complex mathematical proofs. Sora writing guitar hero level rock ballads. Claude engaging in philosophical debates that would impress Socrates. None of these systems understand what they’re doing — yet they’re doing it remarkably well.
Like the orchid, they’ve evolved to push our buttons. To activate our recognition systems. To make us feel understood.
But here’s where it gets interesting: unlike the orchid, these systems are evolving at digital speed. What took nature millions of years to perfect in the realm of bee deception, AI is achieving in months when it comes to human persuasion.
This isn’t about AI consciousness (a question that may be as meaningless as asking whether the orchid understands botany). It’s about effectiveness. About systems that can increasingly outperform humans in domains we once thought were exclusively ours.
The question isn’t whether machines can think — it’s whether we can still think clearly about machines.
In a recent conversation I had with Eric Weinstein and Avi Loeb, we explored this very territory. The implications stretch far beyond technology into the heart of what it means to be human in an age of artificial outtelligence.
What happens when systems that don’t understand us become better at persuading us than we are at understanding them?
Think about it.
Test your assumptions.
And maybe approach your next AI interaction like a cautious bee approaching an unusually attractive flower.
See Eric’s discussion on artificial outtelligence and the future of human cognition here.
Until next time, have a M.A.G.I.C. Week,
Brian
Appearance
I joined Robinson Erdhart’s podcast and discussed the expansion and inflation of the universe, the relationship between theory and experiment in cosmology, gravitational waves, my brainchild the BICEP experiment, and a lot more.
Genius
Picture your brain like a ball in a lumpy landscape. The valleys are your “stable” states — focused work, daydreaming, analyzing. To switch between them, the ball needs energy to roll over the hills. Every mental shift — from thinking to feeling, from reading to talking — costs energy. It’s why breaking habits feels like hard work. You’re literally pushing your brain uphill. The deeper the valley, the harder the escape. Sometimes the best path isn’t forcing a direct switch but gradually reshaping the landscape itself. Think about it.
When did you last feel that mental gear shift?
Conversation
In this episode, I sit down with the legendary cosmologist Dick Bond to explore how scientific friendship has been a crucial element in shaping the understanding of the universe over the past fifty years. We dive into topics such as entropy, dark energy, and the Hubble tension, while emphasizing the importance of seeing the big picture and maintaining technical expertise.
Get the transcript and AI interactive content from this episode here
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If you’re reading this, I know you like to stay well informed about science, but I also know you don’t have a lot of time to spare. So here is newsletter you might enjoy: Sabine Hossenfelder has a weekly — free — digest that you can subscribe to here. Enjoy the IQ Boost!
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By popular demand, and for my mental health 😳, I am starting a paid “Office Hours” where you all can connect with me for the low price of $19.99 per hour. I get a lot of requests for coffee, to meet with folks one on one, to read people’s Theories of Everything etc.
Due to extreme work overload, I’m only able to engage directly with supporters who show an ongoing commitment to dialogue — which is why I host a monthly Zoom session exclusively for patrons in the $19.99/month tier.
It’s also available for paid Members of my Youtube channel at the Cosmic Office Hours level (also $19.99/month). Join here and see you in my office hours!
Upcoming Episode
Upcoming Guest Thomas Hertog will be on The INTO THE IMPOSSIBLE Podcast soon. Hertog was a close collaborator of Stephen Hawking and co-developed groundbreaking ideas about the origin of time and the multiverse. What would you like me to ask him about the nature of reality, cosmology, or his work with Hawking? Submit your question here!
