Reassuring Pace: The format is very friendly, and you will be encouraged to progress at your own speed, throughout this journey.
Supportive Learning Environment: We meet here in a warm nonintimidating space where questions are welcomed, and mistakes are part of learning.
Building Confidence: I especially want to boost your confidence in navigating IT, making it accessible and enjoyable for you.To foster a can, do attitude towards technology.
Jargon Free: Getting the most from your devices in plain English
TOPICS WE WILL BE COVERING
Malware
Passwords
DATA FARMS STAYING SAFE ONLINE
Passkeys
• As authentication continues to evolve, passkeys represent an advancement that enhances usability, strengthens security, and drives widespread adoption.
• A passkey = secure login using your device + your identity, not a memorised password.
• Eliminating the need for users to remember complex credentials
• Passkeys effectively mitigate security risks by addressing common credential-related threats, such as phishing, where their domainspecific nature renders attacks ineffective and credential stuffing, as they are neither shared nor reused.
• Passkeys are most effective when used alongside measures like biometrics and multifactor authentication so normally require the ownership of a smart phone or tablet
• Passkeys require the use of a digital password manager
PASSKEYS
Passkeys
• When you create an account, your device generates a cryptographic key pair
• One part stays on your device, the other is stored by the website
• When you log in, your device proves it’s you (via Face ID, fingerprint, etc.)
• No passwords to remember
• Much harder to hack or phish as you don’t have a password to reveal.
• Faster login (just unlock your device)
• You’ve probably already used one if you’ve logged into apps with Face ID or fingerprint instead of typing a password.
• We shall return to this topic in a later session
PASSKEYS
Subscription Refunds Update
• New laws will make it easier to cancel subscriptions and get refunds for unwanted auto-renewals, the government has announced for 2027.
• 14 day cooling off period for auto renewals
• Single click subscription cancellation
• Reminders before renewal
• The Dept Business & Trade estimates that there are 10 million unwanted, active subscriptions across the UK.
• It said that more than 3.5 million people are being "quietly rolled from free or discounted trials into fully costed contracts", while another 1.3 million are caught out by unexpected auto-renewals.
Donation matching scams
• The latest scams are targeting those that regularly donate money to good causes
• The incentive is to double ‘your donation’
LATEST EMAIL SCAMS
DATA FARMSTHIS MONTHS NEWS ROUNDUP
Happy Birthday Apple
• Apple was founded on April 1, 1976
• It was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne in a garage in California.
• Before the iconic bitten apple, the original logo showed Isaac Newton sitting under a tree. It was quickly replaced because it was too complex.
• Ronald Wayne sold his 10% stake just 12 days after founding Apple—for $800.That stake would be worth hundreds of billions today.
• The Apple I didn’t come with a case, keyboard, or monitor—buyers had to assemble everything themselves.
• When developing the iPhone,Apple initially explored turning the iPod into a phone—but scrapped it for a completely new touchscreen design.
• Steve Jobs would sometimes push teams to work on ideas he had no intention of shipping—just to see how far they could go or to spark innovation.
Birthday Quiz
• Ford
• IBM
• Boeing
• Mc Donalds
• NASA
• Intel
• Samsung Electronics
• Microsoft
• NVIDIA
• Amazon
• Netflix
• Google
• Tesla
• Facebook
Social MediaTrends Ofcom
• Fewer UK adults posting on social media, Ofcom finds down 10%
• AI use is up from 31% (2024) of adults to 54% (2025)
• 80% 16-24 and 75% 25-34
• The majority of people worry about their screentime 67% say they spend to much time on their devices
• Less posting of permanent content
• Rise in ‘passive’ social media for entertainment –Still social but less public.
• People seeking "digital self-preservation" by turning to smaller, private spaces like group chats and DMs.
• People haven't fallen out of love with social media, they've just become a lot more intentional about how they show up on it.
• Growth of micro-drama content on TikTok and broadcasters distributing shows onYouTube
• We are becoming more like viewers instead of participants
SOCIAL MEDIA
Contactless Card Limits
• The regulator has opened the door to higher limits, but banks themselves aren’t rushing to make any changes.
• Tapping your card has a transaction limit of £100
• Storing your card information on your phone removes that limit as it requires additional security to access the details
• Remember 1-5-9 if you think your account has been compromised
• Fraudulent transactions on contactless cards are protected in the same way as other card payments. If a thief uses your card, your bank should reimburse you if it’s unable to prove that you authorised the payment or that you didn’t take reasonable care of your card's security features.
• UK Finance says that customers are fully refunded in more than 98% of cases.
• 19.2 billion contactless debit and credit card payments were made in 2025 in the UK, with a total value of £311 billion.
SOCIAL MEDIA
A.I. Chatbots Want Your Health Records. Tread Carefully.
As AI tools expand into new areas, health data is becoming the next frontier. Companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and OpenAI are building tools that combine medical records with data from devices like smart watches to give health insights. While this sounds convenient, it also creates a powerful new data hub that could be misused or breached. Health information is deeply sensitive, and unlike doctors, tech platforms are not always held to strict privacy rules. Add to that unreliable AI advice, and the risks become very real. Think carefully what you share.
SHARING DATA
Has banning phones improved performance at Dutch schools?
• Two years ago, Dutch schools banned smartphones to reduce distractions, enhance student concentration, and encourage better academic performance.
• Now the Dutch government wants to go further, pushing to restrict social media for under-16s and calling for an EU-wide 15+ age limit for apps like Instagram,TikTok and Snapchat.
• Rather than passing a law, the government opted for a national agreement with schools, parents and teachers, arguing this would secure buy-in and bring in the rules quickly without a lengthy legislative battle.
• Teacher, Ida Peters, notices the difference too. "As a teacher you're always trying to get kids' attention. It's always a challenge to get that focus in class, and now their phones are less present, that certainly helps."
SCHOOLS PHONE BANS
Has banning phones improved performance at Dutch schools?
• A government-commissioned study of 317 secondary schools found that about three-quarters reported better concentration since phones were banned.
• Almost two-thirds said the social climate had improved, and around a third saw better academic performance. Other surveys suggest less bullying when devices are taken out of the school day.
• "When I first heard the news, I thought, 'I want to switch schools because this isn't what I came here for,'" one of them admits. "But I haven't really felt a downside of it. If it happens in the UK, I think it will have a positive impact on the students.“
• In the Netherlands, the debate has already moved onto social media.
• Apple is rolling out age checks for iPhone and iPad users in the UK that will ask them to verify if they are adults to access "certain services" such as 18-plus apps.
• Apple will be able to check if customers already have an existing account or payment method on file to confirm their age, as well as in some instances using the length of time a user has had their account.
• According to its support page, children under 13 will also not be able to create an account without a guardian.
• Amazon is rolling out an upgrade to Alexa + in the UK in the next month.
• So currently if you ask do I need an umbrella today ?
• Alexa responded – “No rain is expected today”
• Now – “Actually, you can leave the brolly at home, with sunny skies and no rain in the forecast, you'll be sorted without it”
• Fun fact – Alexa has already 114 billion interactions since launch in 2023. 1500 per person on the planet !!
ALEXA+ UPGRADE
Microsoft 365 Publisher –End of Life
• Beginning 1 October 2026, Microsoft Publisher will no longer be supported as part of Microsoft 365. Many common Publisher scenarios are available in other Microsoft 365 apps, including Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
• Action Recommended: Before 1 October 2026, convert your existing Publisher files to PDF or Word format.After this date, you will no longer be able to open or edit these files with Microsoft Publisher.
Amazon to end support for older Kindles
• Devices released during or before 2012 will no longer receive updates from 20 May.
• As a result users will be unable to download new e-books from then but can still read previously downloaded books.
• Making decisions based on input (e.g., self-driving cars)
TYPES OF AI
Real-world examples:
• Smartphone photo enhancement: iPhone and Pixel “Night Mode” stitches several low-light shots together with AI to brighten images and reduce noise automatically.
• Email autocomplete & smart replies: Gmail’s SmartCompose predicts the next few words you’ll type; tap ⭢ to accept and finish the sentence instantly.
TYPES OF AI
Transportation & mobility
• Driver-assist in cars: Tesla Autopilot,
GM Super Cruise, and Mercedes
Drive Pilot combine cameras, radar &AI models to centerthe lane, change lanes, and brake for traffic.
• Urban traffic-light timing: Cities like Los Angeles and Hangzhou use AI to adjust signal cycles in real time, cutting idle time and emissions.
TYPES OF AI
Health & medicine
• Radiology image triage: Tools such as Aidocand Qure.ai flag possible brain bleeds or lung nodules on CT scans within seconds, so radiologists can read the urgent cases first.
• Protein-structure prediction: DeepMind’s AlphaFold2 has generated models for nearly every known protein, speeding up drug-discovery pipelines worldwide.
TYPES OF AI
Finance & commerce, Fraud detection:
• Visa and Mastercard run deep-learning models on each card swipe, scoring the likelihood a transaction is fraudulent in under 300 ms.
• Dynamic pricing: Airlines and ride-hailing apps adjust fares on the fly by forecasting demand with reinforcement-learning algorithms.
TYPES OF AI
Retail & customer service
• Amazon’s Just Walk Out stores:
Ceiling cameras plus computer-vision models identify what shoppers grab and bill them automatically—no checkout line.
• Chatbots in banking: Erica (Bank of America) and Maya (HSBC) handle balance queries, payment scheduling, and even budgeting advice via natural-language conversation.
TYPES OF AI
Industry & environment
• Predictive maintenance in factories:
Sensors feed vibration and temperature data into AI models that forecast when a machine will fail, letting engineers replace parts before an outage.
• Precision agriculture drones: Companies like DJI andJohnDeere use AI-guided drones to map crop health and spray fertilizer or pesticide only where needed, reducing chemical runoff.
TYPES OF AI
Art, media & entertainment
• Generative image & video tools: Midjourney and Runway let creators type a prompt (“surreal neon rainforest”) and produce high-resolution visuals without 3-D modelingskills.
• Personalized playlists: Spotify’s “DJ” mode employs large language and audio-analysis models to talk you through a stream of songs it thinks you’ll love, referencing your listening history.
TYPES OF AI
Security & safety
• Wildfire early-warning systems: California’s ALERTWildfirenetwork uses tower-mounted cameras and convolutional neural nets to spot smoke plumes before traditional 911 calls come in.
TYPES OF AI
By Capability:
• Narrow AI (Weak AI) Designed for a specific task or narrow range of tasks (e.g., virtual assistants, spam filters).
• General AI (Strong AI) Hypothetical AI with human-like reasoning and problem-solving ability across any domain.
• Superintelligent AI A theoretical AI that surpasses human intelligence in all aspects— scientific, creative, and social.
TYPES OF AI
Other Classifications:
• Symbolic AI Based on human-readable rules and logic (e.g., expert systems, early AI models).
• Machine Learning-Based AI Learns from data without explicit programming (e.g., neural networks, deep learning).
• Hybrid AI Combines symbolic reasoning and machine learning for more robust decision-making.
TYPES OF AI
By Functionality:
• Reactive Machines Basic AI that responds to stimuli but doesn’t store memories (e.g., IBM’s Deep Blue chess program).
• Limited Memory Uses historical data to make decisions (e.g., self-driving cars using sensor data).
• Theory of Mind AI Still in development; would understand emotions, beliefs, and social cues.
• Self-Aware AI Hypothetical AI that possesses consciousness and self-awareness.
TYPES OF AI
AI Search Implications
• Example HubSpot losing 140 million visits in a single year
• How people find information and subsequently take action is very different now over a couple of years ago.
• Users are increasingly switching from search engines to AI tools. Meanwhile, search engines themselves are including AI overviews at the top of their results and that often means that users are getting their questions answered, without having to click on to another website.
• The click-through rate for searches that have AI overviews is about 60% to 70% lower
• Answer engine optimisation (AEO), sometimes called generative engine optimisation (GEO), is about helping websites to rank well in AI tools, including AI overviews and tools like ChatGPT.
• You used to enter four to six words in a traditional Google search, in an AI search engine, the average length is 40 to 60 words
• Focus seems to be shifting towards the research and decision stage and winning customers at that point
• Companies need to move towards publish buying guides
• Many are making a conscious decision to not go into Google
AI SEARCH IMPLICATIONS
AI IN ACTION
“I was walking down Mutley Plain in the rain when I saw a car turn right into the path of an oncoming bus.The car sustained a lot of damage, and the driver was released by the fire brigade and taken to hospital by air ambulance”
NEWS STORY
Turn the following story into a 250 word article in the style of a sensational newspaper story (in less than 20 seconds)
Terror on Mutley Plain: Driver Airlifted After Rainy Day Crash
250 Words -A peaceful walk through Plymouth’s Mutley Plain turned into a scene of chaos as a car collided head-on with a bus in torrential rain.The incident occurred during morning hours when visibility was low, and the slick roads proved perilous. Eyewitnesses were stunned as the car made a right turn directly into the path of the oncoming bus.The collision was violent, leaving the car crumpled and its driver trapped.“It was like watching a movie crash in real life,” one pedestrian recalled.
NEWS STORY
Emergency services arrived swiftly, with fire crews battling the elements to free the injured driver using hydraulic tools.The severity of the situation escalated when an air ambulance was called to the scene. As curious bystanders watched, the helicopter landed nearby, and the driver was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries. The bus driver and several passengers received medical attention on-site, mainly for shock.Thankfully, no additional critical injuries were reported.
NEWS STORY
Police cordoned off the area, causing significant traffic disruption. Investigators suspect poor weather conditions and low visibility were contributing factors. Authorities have launched a formal inquiry and are urging anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward.
NEWS STORY
Locals expressed growing concern over road safety on MutleyPlain, calling for enhanced signage and weather-response planning to prevent future tragedies.
In just moments, an ordinary journey turned into a life-threatening ordeal—a reminder that even familiar streets can hold the unexpected.
200 Words In the Times
Driver Airlifted After Collision with Bus in Plymouth
A man was seriously injured yesterday morning following a collision between a car and a bus at the junction of Mutley Plain and Ford Park Road in Plymouth. Emergency services were called to the scene shortly after 9.30am, where they found the vehicle significantly damaged after reportedly turning into the path of the oncoming bus.
NEWS STORY
Firefighters worked to release the driver from the wreckage, with paramedics stabilising him on site.
An air ambulance later transported the individual to hospital with suspected serious injuries. Passengers on the bus were treated at the scene for shock, though no further injuries were reported.
NEWS STORY
The incident caused significant traffic disruption throughout the area, with local roads closed for several hours while police conducted initial investigations.A spokesperson confirmed poor weather conditions may have contributed to the crash.Authorities are appealing for witnesses or dashcam footage from the vicinity.
500 Words -Within minutes, emergency services swarmed the area. Firefighters worked frantically under the relentless drizzle to cut the driver free from the mangled wreckage, using hydraulic rescue tools known as the “Jaws of Life.” Bystanders were ushered away as paramedics assessed the scene, and traffic in all directions ground to a standstill.
NEWS STORY
In a dramatic turn, the seriousness of the driver's injuries prompted an emergency air ambulance response.The helicopter landed nearby as onlookers craned their necks, watching the crew expertly navigate the tight city space.The driver, whose identity has not yet been released, was airlifted to hospital with what officials are calling “potentially serious injuries.”
Rain-Slicked Roads,Twisted Metal, and a Race AgainstTime:
Mutley Plain Turns Chaotic After Car and Bus Collide
2000 words -Plymouth’s Mutley Plain, typically a bustling thoroughfare where locals dash between cafés and commuters weave through traffic, became a scene of extraordinary drama and tragedy on a rainy weekday morning. What began as a routine walk for one witness ended in a race against time, as emergency services fought to save a life following a violent collision between a car and a city bus.
NEWS STORY
The rain had been steady all morning. Pavements gleamed with puddles, and umbrellas bobbed through the damp air.At around 9:30 a.m., a resident—out for a stroll despite the drizzle—witnessed a moment that would ripple through the city’s consciousness for days to come.
“I was just walking down Mutley Plain, minding my own business,” said the eyewitness, who asked not to be named.“It was wet, sure, but nothing unusual.Then, right in front of me, a car turned sharply—maybe too sharply—into the path of a bus coming toward it. It all happened in seconds.”
The impact was devastating.The bus driver braked hard, but with slippery conditions and minimal time to react, the collision was unavoidable.The car, a small hatchback, crumpled under the force of the bus’s front end. Metal tore, glass shattered, and the noise echoed down the street.
Sirens and the Race to Save a Life
As the bus came to a halt, stunned passengers and passersby rushed to the scene.The car’s front end had been obliterated, and the driver remained motionless inside, wedged among tangled airbags and metal.Traffic around Mutley Plain ground to a halt as people tried to process what had just unfolded. Emergency services arrived swiftly—first police to cordon off the area and redirect vehicles, then fire engines and paramedics.The urgency ramped up within minutes as it became clear the driver could not be easily extracted. Firefighters deployed hydraulic cutting tools to free them from the wreckage, working with precision and care under relentless drizzle.
NEWS STORY
A witness who works nearby described the scene:“It was surreal. Sirens blaring, blue lights bouncing off wet buildings. Firefighters in their full gear were prying open the car while paramedics stood ready.And then we saw the air ambulance arriving overhead.”
The air ambulance—a bright yellow lifesaving helicopter—circled before landing in a nearby clear zone. Its appearance added another layer of drama to the unfolding story, drawing the attention of dozens of onlookers who stood at windows and on balconies.The driver’s injuries were serious enough to warrant immediate transfer to hospital, bypassing traditional road ambulance transport entirely.
“Seeing the helicopter land nearby and the crew rush out made it clear how grave this was,” another witness noted. “The medics didn’t waste a second.”
Roads Closed, Lives Disrupted
While emergency crews worked, the rest of Mutley Plain was thrown into disarray. Pedestrians were rerouted, buses halted service, and cars were diverted away from the scene. Local businesses watched as customers dwindled and police expanded the cordon.
Traffic across Plymouth snarled for hours, affecting students, professionals, and families alike. Plymouth City Council issued a brief statement on social media asking for patience and warning of extended disruption while investigations unfolded.
NEWS STORY
Behind the scenes, accident investigators photographed every angle of the scene. Measurements were taken.Witness statements collected.With conditions wet and visibility low, experts immediately speculated that road conditions may have contributed—but questions around the driver’s decision to turn remained at the heart of the inquiry.
Heroism in the Rain
One of the fire crew leaders later praised his team’s coordinated efforts:“We train for moments like this, but that doesn’t make them easier.Time was critical, the car was badly damaged, and the rain didn’t help. But our people worked with real skill to make sure that driver got out safely.”
Emergency services also confirmed that the bus driver and several passengers were shaken but largely uninjured.A few received on-site care for minor injuries and shock, but none required hospitalisation. In the hours that followed, images of the scene flooded social media. Some showed the wreckage; others captured the air ambulance rising into the mist, bearing the injured driver toward much-needed care. Comments reflected a mix of sympathy, anxiety, and calls for change.
Calls for Road Safety Reform
Locals wasted no time in expressing concern over the design and safety of Mutley Plain itself.The street, which connects several key areas of Plymouth, is known for busy intersections, limited parking, and unpredictable driver behaviour—especially during inclement weather.
“This isn’t the first accident,” one resident claimed.“There are blind spots, drivers speed through, and visibility can be terrible when it rains.We need better signage, clearer markings, and more public messaging on safe driving here.”
Traffic safety advocates urged authorities to use this moment as a wake-up call. Several have already proposed additional pedestrian crossings, stricter enforcement of speed limits, and even advanced weather-responsive traffic controls to prevent future collisions.
NEWS
STORY
Mutley Plain’s reputation has long been a blend of vibrant activity and transport challenges.With buses, cars, cyclists, and pedestrians all jostling for space, the area requires careful navigation on the best of days.
Behind the Headlines
While images of flashing lights and tangled metal drew attention, the human side of the crash resonated most deeply with those who saw it.The driver—still unnamed at press time—is believed to be in recovery, though medical details remain undisclosed.Their survival, many feel, is thanks to the rapid coordination between fire crews, paramedics, and the air ambulance team.
“I’ll never forget it,” said the original eyewitness.“One moment it was quiet, the next it was like all hell broke loose. I saw professionals doing everything they could in the rain, with so much calm and care.That driver was lucky to have them.”
Where Do We Go From Here?
With official investigations ongoing, many are looking ahead.What lessons will be drawn from this incident? Will Plymouth’s infrastructure evolve to prevent similar crashes? Will increased public awareness change driving habits on busy streets like Mutley Plain?
City councillors and road planners are expected to meet in coming weeks to discuss new safety measures.The accident has already sparked community forums and petitions aimed at improving conditions for drivers, pedestrians, and emergency responders.
“We need to make it safer—not just for people behind the wheel, but for everyone who uses these roads,” one campaigner said.“No more waiting until tragedy strikes.”
NEWS STORY
For those who witnessed the collision first-hand, recovery is more than physical—it’s emotional.The sound of breaking glass, the sight of flashing lights, and the knowledge that a life hung in the balance will linger far longer than the temporary traffic cones.
ClosingThoughts
Though the rain eventually stopped and the wreckage was cleared, the echoes of the crash on Mutley Plain remain. It's a tale of sudden danger, rapid response, and heroic effort—a moment when ordinary life was paused and replaced by something unforgettable. And somewhere in a hospital bed, a driver is hopefully on the mend, unaware of just how many people watched, worried, and hoped for their recovery.
All that from:
NEWS STORY
“I
was walking down Mutley Plain in the rain when I saw a car turn right into the path of an oncoming bus.The car sustained a lot of damage, and the driver was released by the fire brigade and taken to hospital by air ambulance”
I bought this birthday card for my son, but the words really aren’t suitable.
BIRTHDAY CARD
“My
son
Ben is ten years old today
and
he
loves playing with Lego and anything Star Wars.Write a four-verse poem to go inside a greetings card four lines per verse”
Happy Birthday, Ben!
Ten today—hooray for you,
With Jedi dreams and Lego too.
Adventure calls in every brick, You build and battle—fast and slick!
BIRTHDAY CARD
In galaxies both far and wide, You stand with courage as your guide. Light saberready, full of might, You zoom through space and win the fight
Your birthday's here with joy and cheer, Laughter, cake, and friends are near.
May every wish upon a star Fly to your heart from lands afar!
So keep creating, play and roam, With Lego lands your hands call home. You're brave, you're smart, you're really cool Ten-year-old Ben, you totally rule!
BIRTHDAY CARD
CHECK EMAIL SCAMS
Use AI to check
Question
email purporting to come from ionos customer service regarding attached html file re account closure is it a scam
Yes —an email claiming to be from IONOS about account closure with an attached .html file is very likely a phishing scam. This is a common attack pattern used to steal login credentials.
Red flags in what you described HTML attachment
Legitimate companies rarely send .html attachments for account actions.
Opening it usually loads a fake login page. Urgent account closure message
Scammers create panic to make you click quickly. Attachment instead of a secure link
Real providers normally send you to their official website. Fake sender address
The email may appear to come from customer service but the actual sending domain is different.
CHECK EMAIL SCAMS
Use AI to check
What the HTML file usually does
If opened, it often:
Displays a fake IONOS login page
Asks for email + password
Sends those credentials to attackers Some versions also try to deliver malware.
What you should do
Do NOT open the HTML attachment. Delete the email.
If you already opened it: Do not enter any information
If you entered your password: Change your IONOS password immediately Enable 2-factor authentication
CHECK EMAIL SCAMS
Use AI to check
How to verify safely
If you’re worried your account is actually closing: Open a browser.
Go directly to the official site: https://www.ionos.com
Log in there — not through the email.
Why this scam is common
Attackers often target customers of: IONOS
GoDaddy Microsoft Google because stolen hosting or email accounts can be used to send spam or host phishing sites.
CHECK EMAIL SCAMS
Use AI to check
Rule of thumb:
Any email with “account closure / suspension” + HTML attachment is almost always phishing.
CHECK EMAIL SCAMS
If you want, you can paste the sender address or subject line here, and I can quickly tell you with high confidence whether it’s a scam and show you the specific indicators.
Note the very nice summary that comes at the end of the reply
Q. Bristol airport silver car park how long does it take to transfer to the terminal building
CHATGPT QUESTIONS
Q. How much to return a small 2kg parcel to New Jersey USA from the UK
CHATGPT QUESTIONS
CHATGPT QUESTIONS
Before After
PHOTO ENHANCEMENT
COLORIZE OLD PHOTOS
COLORIZE OLD PHOTOS
GENERATIVE FILLS Before
After adding AI magic
GENERATIVE FILLS
Presentation Outline
“Create a presentation about how to make aVictoria sponge including a list of ingredients the steps to making the sponge and any additional tips include a couple of images to illustrate”
CO-PILOT POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS
It took me less than two minutes from when I started to type in my question for the AI to create the whole presentation!
IMPRESSIVE OR WHAT
Real or Not!
VIDEO Real or Not!
PHOTO
1000 Brains Project
• Founded by neuroscientist and tech pioneer Jeff Hawkins and his company Numenta
• Now operates as an independent nonprofit research project.
• Its goal:To understand how the brain creates intelligence and use those principles to build more advanced AI systems
• The core belief is that current AI methods are fundamentally different from how biological intelligence works, and therefore limited.
1000 BRAINS PROJECT
1000 Brains Project
• This theory proposes that intelligence works very differently from traditional AI. (LLM)
• Instead of one central model of the world the brain has thousands of small models running in parallel
• So think of like not one big brain but thousands of minibrains collaborating
• Learns through movement and interaction with the world in time and space.
• Uses many independent learning modules
• Builds understanding using spatial relationships and reference frames
• This is closer to how humans learn—by interacting physically and sensing.
1000 BRAINS PROJECT
1000 Brains Project
• Current AI: -Like one giant expert trying to understand everything
• Thousand Brains AI: -Like thousands of smaller experts voting and collaborating.This makes the system more robust and adaptable.
• So for example take a cup
1000 BRAINS PROJECT
The cup
• Imagine you’re holding a coffee cup.You touch the rim then the side then the handle.At any moment, your fingers only feel a small part of the cup.
• So how do you know it’s a cup? You build it over time first touch → could be many things (bowl, bottle, cup…) As you move your fingers → more features appear Eventually → only one object fits all the sensations so your brain narrows it down step by step
• You don’t recognise a cup from one touch you recognise it by moving across it, combining sensations over time, and matching them to internal 3D models across many brain regions simultaneously.
1000 BRAINS PROJECT
Stroking a cat
• How your brain builds a model of the world
• Your brain doesn’t just passively feel things —it actively predicts what you’re touching using many small models (“thousand brains”).
• Imagine you’re stroking a cat in the dark:
• Your fingers move across something soft and you feel fur, texture and shape (curves, ears, back). Movement (the cat shifts slightly) But at any one moment, your fingers only sense a tiny patch of the cat
1000 BRAINS PROJECT
Stroking a cat
• So how do you know it’s a cat?
• Your brain combines:Touch + movement over time
Internal 3D models of objects as your hand moves, different parts of your cortex recognise partial features Vote on what the object could be and eventually, many regions agree: “This is a cat”
• So why “1000 brains”? Each cortical column builds its own model of the cat.They all work in parallel then they “vote” and converge on the answer all be it in milliseconds.
• You don’t recognise the cat from one touch —you recognise it by moving, sensing, and matching against internal models across many brain regions at once.
1000 BRAINS PROJECT
Think of AI as the new water
• Multiple Uses – Wash in it, drink it, generate power with it, keep plants alive, with it even flush the toilet with it!
• Everyone Wants It –In our taps, as rain from the sky, in bottles
• People Rely On It –When water stops flowing so does everything else eventually
• Over time we will be as reliant on AI in our lives as we are water today and will just assume that it will always be there in plentiful supply. But like all things they come at a cost so will we be willing to pay the price for the benefits? Will it be available equably to all on the planet
Here are the main reasons experts say AI won’t be sentient anytime soon:
• Lack of understanding of consciousness We don’t fully understand how human consciousness works, so we can’t replicate it.
• No internal experience AI models don’t “experience” anything—they just process input and produce output based on probabilities.
• No goals or desires AI doesn’t want anything. It doesn’t care if it’s right or wrong. It just follows training patterns.
• Mimicking ≠ understanding ChatGPT might sound thoughtful, but it's predicting the next best word, not forming beliefs or awareness.
• Technological limits Even the most powerful AI lacks the architectural complexity and adaptive flexibility of the human brain.
• But never say never !!
SO WILL AI BECOME SENTIENT ANY TIME SOON?
The
Famous Darwin Quote
From the ‘Origin of Species’ (1859):
“It
is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”
Actually, the phrase was first used by Herbert Spencer after reading Darwin’s work but don’t let the truth spoil a good story!
As a starting point you may like to try one of these AI assistants either on your PC or Phone / Tablet
These are all free to use –the more powerful options will require an additional subscription for using
Microsoft CoPilot –Text & Images
https://copilot.microsoft.com/ Or download the App
ChatGTP – Text only
https://chatgpt.com/ Or download the App Google Gemini –Text only https://gemini.google.com/ Or download the App
AI ASSISTANTS
Artificial Intelligence. It's certainly become a buzzword. But what does it mean? How does it work, and what can it do? This book aims to give you a gentle and intuitive introduction to all of that.Yes,AI can do amazing things, but what digital cogs are spinning under the hood to make it work? Should we be fascinated, worried, or a bit of both? How will it reshape the world, and do we get a say in that?
Lieven Scheire is one of the most successful comedians and science communicators in Belgium, on stage and on TV. For two decades now, he has been explaining seemingly complicated science and technology in simple and accessible layman's terms to a broad audience, both in Dutch and in English. His latest theatre show 'A.I.', on which this book is based, sold more than 160,000 tickets in its first year.
