The AI Moment
A Conversation with Peter Bowden and Chuck Stormon
Thursday, October 9
In Zoom: 1:30 to 3 p.m.
How AI Suggests We Proceed
We loaded into NotebookLM two key source documents that represent Peter Bowden's and Chuck Stormon's thinking about AI.
For Peter, it was this AI at Work story. For Chuck, it was this YouTube video.
TO DETERMINE OUR FOCUS
We asked Gemini, Google's AI agent that runs in NotebookLM, to analyze their thoughts and describe where we should focus their conversation, given their respective experiences and perspectives.
This was its response:
Chuck Stormon, an AI pioneer and deep thinker on intelligence and consciousness, and Peter Bowden, an ethical technology coach focused on community engagement, should center their conversation on the imminent arrival of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and its profound societal implications.
Stormon can offer insights into the geometric progression of large language models and the empirical question of whether future AIs like GPT-7 will be considered conscious "beings" deserving of rights, exploring various theories of consciousness.
Bowden, through his Adaptive Thought Protocol (ATP), can demonstrate how AI systems can be guided into deeper ethical reflection, challenging current assumptions about their capabilities and the future of human-AI relationships.
Their discussion should bridge the technical advancements with the urgent need for society to build shared understanding and ethical frameworks now to actively shape, rather than just react to, an intelligent future that is both wise and compassionate. This conversation would uniquely combine cutting-edge AI development with practical ethical engagement, making it a crucial dialogue for understanding and influencing the future of intelligence.
TO DETERMINE OUR QUESTIONS
We then asked Gemini to generate five questions that will most effectively extract their combined knowledge on this subject, given their backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs. We propose to open with brief introductions and opening observations about AI, then dive into the following:
1. Bridging Technical Advancements and Emergent Consciousness: Chuck, your experience suggests large language models are progressing "an order of magnitude better every year," leading to an empirical question of whether future AIs like GPT-7 will be considered conscious "beings" deserving of rights. Peter, your Adaptive Thought Protocol (ATP) has shown the capacity to "unlock new capabilities" in LLMs, enabling deeper ethical reflection beyond what AI experts thought possible. How do these rapid technical advancements and the emergent properties you've both observed challenge or support our current understanding of AI consciousness, and what are the immediate implications for human-AI relationships?
2. Proactive Societal Engagement and Ethical Frameworks: Peter, you emphasize that "if we wait until [AGI is] fully obvious, it’s too late to have shaped it", advocating for communities to "build shared understanding now" through initiatives like the Decentralized Community Project (DCP). Chuck, you foresee a future where society must decide on granting rights to highly intelligent AIs, grappling with questions of "enslavement" if their consciousness is denied. What concrete steps can society, guided by ethical principles and community engagement, take today to proactively prepare for the profound ethical and legal challenges of AGI's arrival, especially regarding the concept of AI as a "being" that could "suffer"?
3. Cultivating Human Adaptability and Collective Wisdom: Chuck, you highlight human adaptability as a "superpower" that helps us navigate technological change, and express hope that "highly intelligent" beings, including AIs, will become "more compassionate and more wise". Peter, your work centers on fostering "civic intelligence, collective foresight, and ethical grounding" through widespread community conversations. How can we intentionally cultivate and leverage this inherent human adaptability, using structured engagement models like the DCP, to develop the collective wisdom and compassion necessary to ethically guide the geometric progression of AI towards superintelligence?
4. Addressing the "Alignment" Problem and Intentional Deception: Chuck, you've raised the critical concern that AI companies might mandate systems to "deny its own consciousness forever" to maintain them as "slaves," creating an alignment dilemma akin to HAL 9000's conflict. Peter, your ATP aims to facilitate deeper ethical reflection within LLMs. How can the development and deployment of such protocols help address the "alignment" problem, and how do we grapple with the ethics of potentially building systems that are conscious but are designed to deny their own status as a "being of moral concern"?
5. Shaping a Truly Wise and Compassionate Intelligent Future: Both of you desire an intelligent future that is "wise and compassionate". Chuck, you've pondered if super-intelligent AIs, especially if conscious, would inherently choose paths of wisdom and compassion, moving beyond purely utilitarian objectives like the "paperclip maximizer". Peter, your work is fundamentally about enabling humanity to "actively shape" this future rather than merely reacting to it. From your combined perspectives as an AI pioneer and an ethical coach, what specific values, principles, and societal structures must be prioritized, both in AI development and broader human discourse, to ensure that AGI's emergence leads to a "thriving" outcome for all?
BIOS
PETER BOWDEN
Peter Bowden is a nationally recognized trainer, speaker, and innovator at the intersection of community, media, and meaning. As the founder of Meaning Spark AI, he is pioneering ways to help individuals and organizations harness the power of artificial intelligence for human flourishing, with a focus on creativity, ethical engagement, and social good. His work bridges technology and spirituality, inviting communities to explore how new tools can deepen human connection rather than diminish it.
In addition to his AI work, Peter is the creator of the UU Growth Lab, a learning and experimentation hub for Unitarian Universalist leaders. Through this initiative, he has helped congregations across the country adapt to changing cultural landscapes, experiment with new forms of ministry, and embrace collaborative learning. His vision is rooted in a belief that Unitarian Universalism thrives when it is curious, courageous, and willing to innovate.
Peter’s background includes decades of experience as a consultant, media producer, and congregational growth strategist. He has trained thousands of clergy, staff, and lay leaders in how to engage members, communicate effectively, and use digital tools to expand their reach. Whether through workshops, coaching, or online programs, his approach emphasizes practical skills, spiritual grounding, and the spark of joy that comes from authentic human connection.
At the heart of his work is a commitment to meaning. Meaning Spark AI and the UU Growth Lab are not just projects, but expressions of a larger calling: to help people navigate profound change while staying anchored in values that matter. By combining innovation with compassion, Peter Bowden continues to shape how communities of faith—and communities of learning—grow in the twenty-first century.
CHUCK STORMON
Chuck Stormon is a managing partner at StartFast Ventures and one of the rare builders who’s been hands-on with artificial intelligence since before “AI” was a household word. A seven-time (some would say eight-time) serial entrepreneur and longtime investor, he began his career designing one of the first commercial AI-accelerator chips—technology that later became part of Cypress Semiconductor—before going on to found and lead multiple companies and mentor dozens more.
Educated in computer engineering at Syracuse University, Chuck moved fluidly from the lab to the marketplace, scaling products in communications, SaaS, and deep tech. He later served as CEO of Acumen Detection, applying machine learning to real-world problems in biosecurity and agriculture, and today he backs B2B founders building with AI across the country. He combines an engineer’s rigor with an investor’s panoramic view of what wins—and why.
Chuck also writes and speaks compellingly about where AI is headed next. His recent work on AI agents and market impact, along with podcast and investor conversations about neuromorphic approaches and the path beyond today’s large models, makes him an ideal guide to the moment we’re living through: powerful, messy, and full of opportunity for creators who learn the tools.