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🚨David Friedberg: AI is starting to identify and solve problems on its own

August 02, 2025 / 01:04

This episode discusses the limitations of AI models, particularly the EVO2 model from the Ark Institute, and how it interprets DNA data without context.

Patrick Collison, founder and chairman of the Ark Institute, is mentioned in relation to the EVO2 model, which ingested vast amounts of DNA data.

The episode highlights a specific instance where the model identified a pathogenic variant related to breast cancer without understanding the context of genes or their implications.

This raises questions about the understanding of emergent phenomena in nature and society that AI models are beginning to recognize.

TLDR

AI models like EVO2 can misinterpret DNA data without context, raising concerns about their understanding of genetics.

Episode

1:04

00:00:00

I'll give you a science corner example. There's this EVO2 model that they published at the Ark Institute, which

00:00:05

Patrick Collison, you know, is the main funer and chairman. So that EVO2 model, they just ingested all the DNA data they

00:00:10

could find in the world. Trillions and trillions of base pair of data that they ingested and then they looked at

00:00:16

patterns in DNA and that's it. They had no context for what the DNA represented.

00:00:21

They had no context for the concept of genes. None of the structured understanding of what that DNA does,

00:00:26

what it is. And you know what it did? They fed in the BA gene variant and the thing output a warning saying I think

00:00:32

that this is a pathogenic variant to DNA without having any context. This is the

00:00:36

the breast cancer alil and it didn't have any knowledge and it did it wasn't trained on that at all. It had no

00:00:41

knowledge that there are pathogenic variants for cancer and it identified that this was a genetic variant that can

00:00:46

cause some sort of pathogenic outcome in the organism. That's a great example where there's a lack of understanding at

00:00:53

the human level on what really drives some of the patterns in nature. the patterns in society, the patterns in

00:00:58

behavior that are kind of emergent phenomena perhaps that these AI models are starting to identify.

Episode Highlights

EVO2 Model's DNA Analysis
The EVO2 model ingested trillions of DNA base pairs but lacked context for interpretation.
“They had no context for what the DNA represented.”
@ 00m 19s
August 02, 2025

Episode Quotes

They had no context for what the DNA represented.
🚨David Friedberg: AI is starting to identify and solve problems on its own
This is a great example where there's a lack of understanding at the human level.
🚨David Friedberg: AI is starting to identify and solve problems on its own

Key Moments

AI DNA Analysis00:03
Lack of Context00:19
Pathogenic Variant Warning00:32
Emergent Phenomena01:00