On January 21, 2025, Thierry Poibeau (École Normale Supérieure), research partner of the ASTOUND project, participated in a thought-provoking event hosted by the Centre for Digital Humanities at the University of Cambridge: “Myth and AI: Emergence as an Example of a Typical Myth in AI.”

The presentation critically examined the popular yet misleading narrative of “emergence” in artificial intelligence — the idea that intelligent behavior arises spontaneously from complex computational systems. This notion, often rooted in science fiction, can obscure critical discussions about how AI systems actually learn and function, leading to confusion about their real capabilities and limitations.

Thierry Poibeau explored how such myths not only anthropomorphize AI, but also distract from pressing ethical and societal challenges — from opacity in decision-making to the impact of biased training data. By demystifying these concepts, the ASTOUND project continues its commitment to fostering transparent, context-aware, and socially responsible AI.

Explore the full event details here: https://www.cdh.cam.ac.uk/events/39431/