AI and the Future with Professor Ahmed Banafa

Artificial intelligence is moving faster than ever — and the question now is: can humanity keep up? In this episode, Claudine Wong and Lisa Bernard sit down with Professor Ahmed Banafa, a globally recognized expert in AI, cybersecurity, and blockchain, to discuss how artificial intelligence is evolving, what regulations are emerging, and how far we really are from the point where AI could surpass human intelligence. Professor Banafa teaches at San José State University, has written nine books (with a tenth on the way), and has been a trusted voice in explaining AI’s impact on society. His latest book, Artificial Intelligence in Action, explores real-world applications of AI across industries. 🔑 Key Topics: The $25 billion AI investment to cure disease — and the race between companies to solve cancer The rise of “AI resilience” and the new cybersecurity model for artificial intelligence OpenAI’s rapid timeline — AI as a research intern by 2026, and a scientific thinker by 2028 How regulation is struggling to keep up — and why California may lead the way The growing concern over job loss, automation, and “AI whisperers” OpenAI’s long-term vision to build its own operating system The importance of preparing students and workers for an AI-driven world Ethical use, homework laundering, and how AI changes education The risks of superintelligent AI and whether we can ever truly shut it off ⏱ Timestamps: [00:00] Intro: Welcome to Making Sense of AI 2gether [00:40] AI investment, self-driving cars, and the 2025 Stanford AI Index [02:00] Meet Professor Ahmed Banafa — global AI and cybersecurity expert [03:30] OpenAI’s $25B plan to cure diseases and expand science through AI [05:00] How AI could revolutionize medical research and diagnosis [09:00] “AI resilience”: protecting systems from poisoning, hacking, and hijacking [11:00] Guardrails, mistakes, and what OpenAI learned from safety failures [14:00] The race to regulate AI — and California’s leading role [17:00] Federal vs. state laws and the challenge of keeping pace [18:30] Job loss, automation, and why AI isn’t slowing down [20:30] How to use AI as a co-pilot rather than a replacement [23:00] OpenAI’s plan for an “AI Operating System” and app ecosystem [26:00] Preparing students for the AI revolution [29:00] The rise of “AI whisperers” and six-figure prompting jobs [33:00] Is there an AI bubble? The economics behind tech investment [35:00] When AI isn’t helpful — and how misuse creates new problems [37:00] Creative writing, humanity, and where AI still falls short [38:30] Guardrails for kids and AI safety in youth interactions [41:00] Could AI ever become smarter than humans? Understanding “super AI” [44:00] Should we hit pause on AI? [47:00] Strange behaviors in AI — and the toothbrush story you won’t believe 🔗 Connect with UsFollow Claudine Wong:Instagram & Facebook: @ClaudineWongKTVUTikTok: @ClaudineKTVUYouTube: ClaudineWong Follow Lisa Bernard Instagram: @demystifyai Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices