SuperDataScience Podcast with Jon Krohn | Vonnegut’s Player Piano (1952): An Eerie Novel on the Current AI Revolution

Thought Leader: Jon Krohn

March 15, 2024

Explore the intriguing parallels between Kurt Vonnegut’s debut novel, “Player Piano,” and the contemporary advancements in artificial intelligence. As a long-time Vonnegut enthusiast, our host Jon Krohn reflects on the 1952 dystopian masterpiece’s links to recent AI developments.

“Player Piano” is set in a future America where automation has usurped human labor, creating a societal divide between the technocratic elite and the obsolete majority. The protagonist, Dr. Paul Proteus, an engineer at the helm of automation, grapples with the moral implications of this new world order. The novel’s prescience is underscored by its depiction of machines encroaching upon cognitive tasks.

In this episode, host Jon Krohn explores how Vonnegut’s narrative resonates with current discussions in machine learning and AI. In particular, he touches on the potential displacement of cognitive jobs by advanced AI systems. With parallel examples ranging from backgammon to transformative technologies like GPT-4, Jon reflects on the ethical and societal ramifications of AI-driven automation.