Discourse: Digital intelligence vs biological intelligence (Theatre)

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Discourse: Digital intelligence vs biological intelligence (Theatre)

2024 Nobel winner Geoffrey Hinton explains what AI has learned, and is still learning, from biological intelligence.

By The Royal Institution

Date and time

Fri, 30 May 2025 19:20 - 20:45 GMT+1

Location

The Royal Institution of Great Britain

21 Albemarle Street London W1S 4BS United Kingdom

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 1 day before event

About this event

  • Event lasts 1 hour 25 minutes

This page is for ‘in person’ Theatre tickets only. For online tickets, go to this online page. Both in person and online ticket holders will have access to the event recording.

Tech headlines in the last couple of years have been dominated by Artificial Intelligence. But what do we mean by intelligence? What has AI learned from biological intelligence, and how do they still differ?

Acclaimed computer scientist, and winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, Geoffrey Hinton will examine the similarities and differences between artificial and biological intelligence, following his decades of groundbreaking work which has enabled the neural networks of today.

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Discourses are one of the Ri’s oldest and most prestigious series of talks. Since 1825, audiences in the theatre have witnessed countless mind-expanding moments, including the first public liquefaction of air by James Dewar, the announcement of the electron by JJ Thomson and over 100 lectures by Michael Faraday. In more recent times, we have had Nobel laureates, Fields medal winners, scientists, authors and artists – all from the cutting-edge of their field. Discourses are an opportunity for the best and brightest to share their work with the world.

Steeped in nearly two centuries of tradition, a Discourse is more than just a lecture. To keep the focus on the topic, presenters begin sharply at 7:30pm without introduction and we lock the speaker into a room ten minutes ahead of the start (legend has it that a speaker once tried to escape!). Some of our guests dress smartly for our Discourse events to add to this sense of occasion.

Discourses are free for Ri Members and Patrons - consider joining today.

Find out more about the history of Discourses on our blog.

The doors will open at approximately 6.45pm, and all ticket holders must take their seats by 7.20pm for a prompt start at 7.30pm. There will be a brief question/answer period after the talk.

Latecomers will be admitted to the gallery.

Event image by geralt via Pixabay

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