Bookends With Mattea Roach podcast

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1:14:43

Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some of the underlying mathematical concepts that power modern machine learning, to help everyone grasp this technology impacting our lives–even if your last math class was in high school. Anil walks us through the power of scaling laws, the shift from training to inference optimization, and the debate among AI’s pioneers about the road to AGI—should we be concerned, or are we still missing key pieces of the puzzle? The conversation also delves into AI’s philosophical implications—could understanding how machines learn help us better understand ourselves? And what challenges remain before AI systems can truly operate with agency? If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Read Why Machines Learn, Anil’s latest book on the math behind AI https://www.amazon.com/Why-Machines-Learn-Elegant-Behind/dp/0593185749 Learn more about Anil Ananthaswamy’s work and writing https://anilananthaswamy.com/ Watch Anil Ananthaswamy’s TED Talk on AI and intelligence https://www.ted.com/speakers/anil_ananthaswamy Discover the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship that shaped Anil’s AI research https://ksj.mit.edu/ Understand the Perceptron, the foundation of neural networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptron Read about the Perceptron Convergence Theorem and its significance https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0…

Bookends with Mattea Roach

When the book ends, the conversation begins. Mattea Roach speaks with writers who have something to say about their work, the world and our place in it. You’ll always walk away with big questions to ponder and new books to read.

327 episodi

#Canada #CBC #Writing #Storytelling #Books and Writing #Books #Arts #Award Winning

Bookends with Mattea Roach

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updated 2 giorni fa

Pagina principale della serie•Feed

327 episodi

#Canada #CBC #Writing #Storytelling #Books and Writing #Books #Arts #Award Winning

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1
In the Caribbean, secret lives come at a cost 34:12

2 giorni fa34:12

34:12

H. Nigel Thomas’ latest novel, A Different Hurricane, is set on the lush Caribbean island country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It’s about two young men who become secret lovers until society forces them apart — and it draws on Nigel’s own experiences as a gay man who left Saint Vincent for Montreal when he was just 21. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Aysegul Savas: Finding home in foreignness and capturing the uncertainty of early adulthood Eric Chacour: Exploring the power of familial expectations and forbidden love…

1
Pitbull, Scarface and a whale walk into a book 39:53

5 giorni fa39:53

39:53

A famous rapper, an Al Pacino movie and a captive whale named Lolita seemingly don’t have much in common. But in Jennine Capó Crucet’s latest novel, Say Hello to My Little Friend, she manages to bring them all together in an ode to the magic of Miami. Jennine joins Mattea Roach to talk about the wild ride of writing the book and how her own experiences as a Cuban American are reflected in the story. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Teresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic moments Kaveh Akbar: Finding meaning in sobriety and writing his bestseller, Martyr!…

1
Emily Austin: Would life be easier as a rat? And other ways to escape adulthood 38:06

9 giorni fa38:06

38:06

For Emily Austin, living like a rat means embracing the small joys and avoiding societal expectations — and that idea is at the centre of her new novel, We Could Be Rats. The book follows two sisters as they reckon with mental health struggles, their relationship to each other and the difficulties of growing up in a small town. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Zoe Whittall: Why heartbreak is a valid form of grief Fawn Parker: Blending her own grief with fiction in new novel Hi, It’s Me…

1
Nnedi Okorafor: Bringing a writer to life in Death of the Author 28:56

12 giorni fa28:56

28:56

Nnedi Okorafor’s latest book is about a writer whose new science fiction novel brings her unexpected literary fame — and it asks a lot of questions about what it means to be a storyteller today. Nnedi joins Mattea Roach to talk about metafiction, the crossroads of disability and technology and how her experiences as a Nigerian American shaped her story. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Nalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart Man Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us human?…

1
Jack Wang: Reimagining the lost stories of Chinese Canadians during WWII 34:30

16 giorni fa34:30

34:30

In The Riveter, Jack Wang explores the untold stories of Asian Canadians during the Second World War. The novel follows Josiah Chang, a Chinese Canadian soldier navigating the horrors of war while facing discrimination at home. Jack joins Mattea Roach to talk about the historical context of the novel, the complexities of writing about war and the value of diverse perspectives. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: V.V. Ganeshananthan: Exploring the complexity of Sri Lanka's civil war in her prize-winning novel, Brotherless Night Teresa Wong: Illustrating her family's past — in all its ordinary and epic moments…

1
Helen Phillips: In a world run by AI, what makes us human? 29:13

19 giorni fa29:13

29:13

If you feel like your phone is tracking your every move, or that AI is getting a little too advanced for comfort… You’re not the only one. Helen Phillips’ latest dystopian thriller, Hum, is set in a near future where climate change has devastated life as we know it — and superintelligent robots have become an irreplaceable part of society. Helen talks to Mattea Roach about her complicated relationship with technology, parenting in the digital age and reclaiming our humanity through the little joys. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Jeff VanderMeer: How his blockbuster Southern Reach series reflects our own fight against climate change Nalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart Man…

1
Daniel Aleman: Loneliness inspired a novel about a Grindr date gone fatally wrong 32:22

23 giorni fa32:22

32:22

In I Might Be in Trouble, a struggling writer wakes up to find last night’s date dead in his bed — and it only gets worse from there. The novel is YA writer Daniel Aleman’s first foray into adult fiction and it touches on themes of loneliness, the trials of modern dating and the lengths we go to find connection in a fragmented world. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Rumaan Alam: How would you spend a billion dollars? Pasha Malla: Parodying a wellness resort with horror and humour…

1
Kate Gies: Reclaiming her body after years of medical trauma 33:42

26 giorni fa33:42

33:42

When Kate Gies was born without an ear on one side, a plastic surgeon told her parents that he could “fix” her. In her new memoir, It Must Be Beautiful to Be Finished, Kate recounts her harrowing journey through numerous surgeries, many of which failed — and questions what it really means to “fix” a body. Kate joins Mattea Roach to talk about blurry medical boundaries, growing up with a congenital difference and pushing back against oppressive beauty standards. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Amy Lin: Widowed at 31, she looks for the beauty in grief Jenny Heijun Wills: Sharing her journey of transracial adoption and self-discovery in her moving essay collection…

1
Emma Knight: 'Bad' mothers make good stories — and are more true-to-life 36:14

4 weeks fa36:14

36:14

You might be surprised to learn that Emma Knight’s new book, The Life Cycle of the Common Octopus, isn’t about marine life at all. The novel follows two Canadian students finding their way in Scotland as they navigate family secrets and first love. Emma joins Mattea Roach to talk about coming of age abroad, the freedom of the pre-smartphone age, and her interest in imperfect mothers. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Fawn Parker: Blending her own grief with fiction in new novel Hi, It’s Me Alan Hollinghurst: Coming of age in Britain and writing through the gay gaze…

1
Imani Perry: Tracing blue through Black American life 34:14

5 weeks fa34:14

34:14

Imani Perry’s latest book, Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People, is an evocative exploration of what the colour can tell us about being Black in the United States today — and the extraordinary human capacity to find beauty in the face of devastation. Imani speaks to Mattea Roach about tracing blue through history, music, and her own life. If you enjoyed this conversation, check out these episodes: Nalo Hopkinson: How Caribbean folktales inspired her fantastical novel, Blackheart Man Tanya Talaga: Searching for her great-great grandmother — a story of family, truth and survival…

1
Chris Ware: Inside the sketchbooks of a comics master 53:58

6 weeks fa53:58

53:58

The latest volume of Chris Ware's Acme Novelty Date Book series is made up of pages from his personal sketchbooks, providing a window into his ideas, obsessions and insecurities. Chris tells Mattea Roach about his career as a cartoonist, staying in touch with childhood and why his daughter is the star of the comics in this book.…

1
Amy Lin: Widowed at 31, she looks for the beauty in grief 23:29

6 weeks fa23:29

23:29

When Amy Lin’s husband died suddenly, even the simplest parts of daily life became a struggle — but through it all, she took refuge in writing. Amy’s debut memoir, Here After , is a searing portrait of grief and a tribute to the love she shared with her husband. Amy joins Mattea to talk about the intensity of grief, the widowhood effect and confronting the death of a loved one.…

1
Rumaan Alam: How would you spend a billion dollars? 35:00

7 weeks fa35:00

35:00

Rumaan Alam’s latest novel, Entitlement, is about a young woman hired to help an aging billionaire give away his fortune — and it asks a lot of questions about the cash-driven world we live in. Rumaan joins Mattea Roach to talk about wealth, morality and how much money a billion dollars really is.

1
Rachel Robb: Exploring reconciliation and the natural world 18:43

7 weeks fa18:43

18:43

Rachel is a teacher from Toronto. Her students didn’t even know she was a writer — until she won the 2024 CBC Poetry prize. Her poem, Palimpsest County, is inspired by Ontario landscapes and speaks to colonialism, climate change, and how our responsibility to protect the natural world is a key part of reconciliation. Rachel talks to Mattea Roach about approaching reconciliation as a non-Indigenous person and how her job inspired her winning poem. The CBC Poetry Prize is one of three literary prizes that CBC Books offers for aspiring Canadian writers. The CBC Nonfiction Prize is open right now. You could win $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, a writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and have your work published by CBC. Head to CBCBooks.ca for all the details.…

1
Judith Butler: Breaking down why people fear gender 39:56

8 weeks fa39:56