Peter Norvig: Next AI Frontier Is Setting the Right Objective, Not Just Scaling
Diyi_Yang · x · 2026-11-08
Podcast augmindfm EP8 features Peter Norvig, co-author of Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach and former Google director of research, now a Distinguished Education Fellow at Stanford HAI and researcher at Recursive working on self-improving AI.
Two key takeaways:
- The scaling law hasn't stopped — data, algorithms, and compute keep growing — but the next frontier is setting the right objective for AI.
- One of AI's most profound risks is human deskilling and loss of motivation, which could have long-lasting negative impact if unaddressed.
He also argued people should choose "how much automation I want helping me, and how much control I want to keep," and — in a weightlifting metaphor — stressed that "you've got to actually do the work yourself," whether physical or mental. He shares his career journey and views on today's AI industry, useful for early-career researchers navigating uncertain times.
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