# Breaking the Pattern - AI and Homo sapiens | Giorgio Torre | TEDxDilmun Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCv4dKCwVzg Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/oCv4dKCwVzg Generated: 2025-12-15T16:45:18.146+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview Giorgio Torre argues that humanity is currently experiencing a "cognitive revolution" driven by AI, which, like previous revolutions (fire, agriculture, writing, industry), empowers some while leaving others behind, creating new divides such as the algorithmic divide and the data divide, which he suggests can be mitigated by focusing on inclusive AI development and shared knowledge. **Key Points:** - Humanity is currently undergoing a cognitive revolution powered by AI, mirroring past revolutions like fire and agriculture. - Previous revolutions gave power to some while leaving others behind, leading to inequality, exemplified by only 1% of the global population having literacy access 400,000 years ago. - The Industrial Revolution created divides such as inequality, slavery, and pollution, while the current AI revolution risks creating an 'algorithmic divide' and a 'data divide'. - Currently, 67% of the world's population lacks access to the internet, and 2.6 billion people (1.4 billion in Africa alone) have less than 1% of global compute power. - English is the dominant language for Large Language Models (LLMs), ranking fifth by native speakers but first in LLM training data, creating a language barrier. - Torre suggests three actions to break the pattern: learn AI yourself, share knowledge broadly (with peers, family, friends), and demand responsibility from organizations training AI. - The speaker, Giorgio Torre, humorously mentions ordering 25kg of pasta after trying to use an AI delivery tool, illustrating the current gap between AI potential and real-world application for common needs. ![Screenshot at 00:24: The speaker's presentation begins by displaying images of Neanderthals on side screens, contrasting them with the modern context to introduce the theme of evolutionary/cognitive shifts.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/oCv4dKCwVzg/00-00-24.png) **Context:** Giorgio Torre delivers a TEDx talk at TEDxDilmun, focusing on the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the potential societal divisions it might create, drawing parallels between the current technological shift and historical revolutions such as the mastery of fire and the agricultural revolution. He uses historical data points, such as low literacy rates in the past and current disparities in compute power access, to frame the argument that technological leaps inherently shift power dynamics, creating new forms of inequality. ## Detailed Analysis Giorgio Torre argues that the current advancement of Artificial Intelligence represents a new cognitive revolution, comparable in impact to the discovery of fire, the agricultural revolution, and the industrial revolution. He emphasizes that every major revolution empowers a select group while disenfranchising others, citing the historical fact that only 1% of the global population had literacy access 400,000 years ago, and that the agricultural revolution led to social structures like hierarchies, slavery, and pollution. Torre points out that the current AI revolution is manifesting similar divides: the algorithmic divide (who writes the rules) and the data divide (who controls the data). He provides statistics illustrating this gap: 67% of the world lacks internet access, and Africa holds less than 1% of global compute power. Furthermore, he highlights the linguistic bias, noting that English dominates LLM training data (95% of models), despite being the fifth most spoken native language. To combat these divisions, Torre proposes three actions: individuals must learn AI themselves, knowledge must be shared widely with peers and family, and there must be a demand for accountability from organizations developing AI. He concludes by stating that the measure of true societal inclusivity is not how much technology is available to the elite, but how much it benefits those who cannot afford it. ### Historical Revolutions and Power Shifts - Neanderthals ruled for 400,000 years, but fire gave power to some, leaving others behind - Agricultural revolution led to surpluses, hierarchy, religion, child labor, and pollution - Industrial revolution brought compute power, GDP growth, but also inequality and war. ### The AI Divide - Current AI is creating an algorithmic divide (who writes the rules) and a data divide (who controls the data) - 67% of the global population lacks internet access; Africa has less than 1% of global compute power - 95% of large language models are trained in English, despite it being the fifth most spoken native language. ### What You Can Do - 1. Learn AI yourself. 2. Share knowledge with peers, family, and colleagues. 3. Demand accountability from organizations training AI. - Torre stresses that knowledge is power and that the goal should be inclusive technology. ### Personal Anecdote - Torre recounts ordering 25kg of pasta using an AI delivery tool, only to realize he had to give much of it away to neighbors and charity, illustrating the practical disconnect and need for inclusive design. ![Screenshot at 00:24: The speaker begins by contrasting the Neanderthal image on the screens with the concept of cognitive revolutions.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/oCv4dKCwVzg/00-00-24.png) ![Screenshot at 00:55: The speaker points out that Neanderthals excelled at survival but vanished after failing to adapt to new cognitive leaps.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/oCv4dKCwVzg/00-00-55.png) ![Screenshot at 01:39: The speaker contrasts the Agricultural Revolution \(fire mastering\) with the current AI era, noting that revolutions often empower some while leaving others behind.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/oCv4dKCwVzg/00-01-39.png) ![Screenshot at 04:50: A slide appears listing three actions for the audience: learn AI, share knowledge, and demand responsibility from AI developers.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/oCv4dKCwVzg/00-04-50.png) ![Screenshot at 11:16: The audience applauds as the speaker concludes his address.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/oCv4dKCwVzg/00-11-16.png)