Endeavoring for Safe & Ethical AI - with JP Gonzales
TAMgents
JP Gonzales of the joinedTamara to explain some of the grave risks with advancement of Artifical General Intelligence (AGI), and the global movement aimed at mitigating these risks. JP is assistant to , who literally wrote the book on AI, co-authoring the authoritative textbook of the field. JP generously gathered the following resources for our listeners on Russell, the organizations referenced in the podcast, and deeper dives on the topic. If you have any questions regarding this or other topics, please email . – Founded by Stuart Russell and colleagues in 2016 ...
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Heather Gildea from Black Elephant Hostel
TAMgents
Tamara chats with Heather Gildea of the Black Elephant Hostel in Portland, Maine. About the hostel community, her family legacy, the importance of third spaces and more. Learn more at Learn more about Tamara at
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Goddess Photographer - Ruby Jean Photography
TAMgents
Tamara chats with Ruby Jean of Ruby Jean Photography about her career arc, how she became a goddess photographer, and her Goddess Project. Ruby is the creator of the Goddess Photoshoot — a transformative photography experience designed to celebrate and empower women of all ages. Through stunning costumes, enchanting locations, and a deeply supportive atmosphere, Ruby helps each participant see themselves in a new, magical light. Her work has gone viral multiple times, resonating with millions who see the Goddess Photoshoots as more than just pictures — but as a celebration of girlhood,...
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Patrisha McLean of Finding Our Voices
TAMgents
Tamara chats with Patricia Mclean, founder and CEO of Finding Our Voices. Patrisha became a firebrand for women’s rights at the age of 55, sparked by the domestic violence arrest of her celebrity husband. In addition to being acting executive director of Finding Our Voices, she runs an online book club, looking at book through the lens of domestic abuse, and hosts a podcast and radio show featuring conversations with domestic abuse survivors. Engage with the organization and network of survivors at .
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Wayfinder & Accountabuddy Darreby Ambler
TAMgents
Tamara and Darreby Ambler chat about how to get hard things done, with a little help from your friends. Darreby Ambler is the founder of Wayfinders and has launched 48 Wayfinders teams since 2009. She’s led teams in the Episcopal Dioceses of Maine, Colorado, and Western Massachusetts; the Hyde School; Morse High School (Bath); the Bath Housing Authority; and many teams of friends and neighbors in her studio in Bath. She has worked with people of varied ages, faiths, and circumstances: high-schoolers, artists, nurses, retirees, young moms, teachers, doctors, custodians, engineers,...
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Ideal Maine Social Aid & Sanctuary Band
TAMgents
Members of the Ideal Maine Social Aid & Sanctuary Band met with Tamara to tell the original story of the band, their personal stories with it and how others can be part of the band! (whether as participant or enjoyer) Band organizer Jeremy Fink and members Janine Platt and Marissa Fink (no relation!) talk about how they came to join the band and some of their favorite experiences with the Portland Maine based second-line style activist band. For more information on the Ideal Maine Band and other events and organizations referenced in the podcast, visit the links below: For...
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Aaron Watson, Equity Stage Manager
TAMgents
Tamara chatted with Equity Stage Manager from Maine Aaron Watson (a 2018 guest on the Stage Door Diva podcast), in 2022 to discuss how his theater career was affected by the pandemic, and then again in 2023 to touch base. This episode is a compilation of the 2022-23 conversations. (see link to 2018 episode and original show notes below) As of December 2023, Aaron has been subbing as Stage Manager on his first Broadway production, How To Dance In Ohio. Here's a link to a few of the places and shows discussed in the episode: Into the Woods understudies reel: New London Barn...
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Stage Door Diva Series - Aaron Watson, Stage Manager
TAMgents
An interview Tamara conducted with professional stage manager Aaron Watson in 2018. Part of the TAMgents Stage Door Diva Series. (Our next episode will be interviews with Aaron from 2022 and 2023, discussing post-covid professional theater) *********************************************** Show notes from the 2018 episode: Aaron A. Watson is a Non-Union Stage Manager who is currently working out of New York City as a Stage Manager for theatre, dance, and more! Aaron can currently be seen working on the hit show Cleopatra at Chelsea Music Hall. Aaron's work has brought him...
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Greg Baker of The Portland Maine Comedy Festival
TAMgents
Tamara sits down with Greg Baker of The Portland Maine Comedy festival, to talk about his comedy journey, this year's festival and the Maine comedy community. The festival runs August 24 - 27, 2023 and is an annual event. (so don't hesitate to listen, even after these dates, you'll want to be in the know for subsequent years! Links: Other episodes of the TAMgents podcast can be found at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, your favorite podcast directory and For more information, email
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The Liberation Series - Lynn
TAMgents
Tamara chats with Lynn, a survivor of abuse, about her struggle to free herself and her children from an abusive husband and father. Topics include drug and alcohol abuse, the family court system, mental health, physical and mental abuse. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, there are many resources, organizations and individuals ready to help. (including those below) Maine: (even if not in your region of the state, these folks can find you help within near you) For more information on hostess Tamara Lilly, visit (booking available for Speaking...
info_outlineJP Gonzales of the Berkeley Existential Risk Initiative (BERI) joinedTamara to explain some of the grave risks with advancement of Artifical General Intelligence (AGI), and the global movement aimed at mitigating these risks. JP is assistant to Stuart Russell, who literally wrote the book on AI, co-authoring the authoritative textbook of the field.
JP generously gathered the following resources for our listeners on Russell, the organizations referenced in the podcast, and deeper dives on the topic.
If you have any questions regarding this or other topics, please email vo@tamaralilly.com.
Stuart Russell’s Wikipedia Page
Center for Human-Compatible AI (CHAI) – Founded by Stuart Russell and colleagues in 2016
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Mission: “CHAI’s goal is to develop the conceptual and technical wherewithal to reorient the general thrust of AI research towards provably beneficial systems.”
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Current research-development approach to AI focuses optimizing for human objectives that we specify using algorithms, and these approaches are not adequately capturing the complexity, variability, diversity, and uncertainty inherent in human values. Current AI systems are also largely black-box in designs (i.e., human’s provide input and can observe the output, but the inner-workings of the system are so opaque and difficult to interpret, current LLMs like GPT 4o have something like 1-2 trillion unique parameters that the model assigns
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Stuart’s popular press book on AI safety, ethics, and the problem of ensuring that humanity maintains control over powerful, frontier AI systems
Stuart Russell on YouTube – he has tons of recorded talks across the world at various organizations, focused on all aspects of AI and society. Definitely best to hear him speak in his own words, he’s extremely articulate and an world-class educator.
Positive AI Economic Futures (World Economic Forum) – This fascinating study was conducted back in 2021 with Stuart and other experts in AI, futurists, policy experts to essentially ask the question – what if we achieve AGI and advanced AI systems that can do most tasks better than humans. What are the implications for our economy, the future of work, and relations.
International Association for Safe and Ethical AI (IASEAI) – Pronounced “eye-see-eye”, this new organization spearheaded by Stuart Russell and a pretty impressive list of Nobel laureates, AI technical experts, policy experts, etc. with the missions of ensuring that AI development and implementation meets safety guarantees and is ultimately beneficial to humanity.
Future of Life Institute – AI Focus Area – This organization has been deeply invested in understanding and mitigating large-scale or “existential” risks from AI, that is negative consequences from AI that could significantly shape the future of humanity, our ability to survive, etc.
Slaughtbots (2017) – An arms-control advocacy film on lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS) and particularly swam drones. Calling for stricter regulation and a ban on the use of AI system to target adn execute people. Funded by The Future of Life Institute, vision comes from Prof. Russell
Slaughterbots Part 2: If human, kill() – arms-control advocacy film on lethal autonomous weapons systems. Prof. Russell contributed to the content and consulting of this video.