Backlight Season 25 · Episode 17

Drones that think

The moment when humanity is on the verge of creating something that can think, learn, feel, or even desire to survive—perhaps at our expense—sometimes seems closer than ever. Can we predict the future to protect ourselves? Or are we in the process of creating something that will surpass our own understanding? Cognitive scientist Marie Safar Postma tries to understand our consciousness by designing and building systems that not only perceive but also anticipate and learn.