Tech Giants & Hollywood Heavyweights at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony

Hi, how are you?

Hi Rob.

What were you like in science class? Take me back.

I would. Do I qualify anymore? I don't think so.

It's not about age, it's about attitude.

Oh, God bless you.

What's up, guys? Leslie here for Young Hollywood, coming to you from the red carpet at the Breakthrough Prize ceremony here in Hollywood. You know, we're talking science, physics, space, and babies? I mean, I think this is great. The nerds deserve their night too, right? Take me back to science class. How did it go for you? Science class. How was it?

I was terrible.

So now, where are you going to put your hardware?

I'm going to put a nail in the wall. I'm going to hang it on it. I think that's the best idea.

Anything that brings more attention to science, I'm always excited about, so I think this is, you know, it's very fun to see this come together.

Doesn't it make sense that these guys should be honored this way? I mean, like acting, music, I mean, it's it's okay, but science, jeez, these guys are just killing it.

I think in many ways, the work the people celebrated here have done is more profound um and and um I'm very moved by a lot of these people's stories.

Gail, last year we talked about going to space.

came back with all my body parts. Didn't wear a diaper. It was an amazing experience. It was really stepping out of my comfort zone. I feel so proud of myself for doing it. But it doesn't compare to what we're going to learn in this room tonight. I'm very excited about this evening.

Tell me everything about what you're doing here, not just posing for pictures.

I just gave a keynote speech at the National Academy of Sciences about large sculptural instruments that I create that nature plays through its data sets. The human brain is the most complex and exquisite phenomenon in the universe.

Last year you were not here and he had to sit next to some like scientist probably.

He was sitting next to Li. Oh yeah, he was fine.

I heard Robert Downey Jr. is coming and I mean, I know he's not a scientist, but are you talking about just strictly A-list celebrities or scientists? Anyone.

I know any of the scientists who are coming, but that's the thing I actually do look for But talking to any of them is would be amazing. Yeah, but I love Robert Downey Jr. I just just saying.

Okay, we're surrounded by brilliant people tonight. Tell me one thing personally that you've learned over the past year.

I cannot wait to see Celine Dion in Paris.

If you could explain your job in three emojis, what would it be?

Um, microphone, rocket ship, and this one.

When the decoded gene was was wrong, and then a year later when someone discovered the same gene, a huge smile. They would be the emoji. They would be the emoji of and then I'd be the sunglasses emoji.

And when you're stressed out, which emoji is it?

It's the uh, it's the it's the monkey one like that.

Clearly the robot one. Um, the sort of really excited face. Uh, and then one of like the blue heart.

Bill Gates, Bill, tell me something you've learned this year.

A lot about AI.

Paris, take me back to science class. How did it go for you?

I was amazing in science class. I loved it.

What has been your breakthrough this year personally? Like something fun.

Um, well, we're doing a TV show on Netflix with Jimmy Kimmel, and I'm taking over schools as principal, and the winner of the competition, the youngest tinker, gets an apprenticeship with me and a full ride scholarship to college. So, that's coming soon.

What has brought you to tears this year? What has made you so happy and joyous?

Well, I got a new grandchild. That'll do it for me right there.

I took my kid this morning out for a breakfast sandwich to my favorite breakfast sandwich for the for the first time this place. Uh, he's 14 months old, and I like love eating this breakfast sandwich, and watching him get to eat it for the first time, I learned to appreciate with new eyes.

Now, what was your breakthrough personal moment in the past year? Like, what did you learn over the past year?

Personally, it was not science related or anything, but I uh, I had my first uh, son, uh, in September. So that was my breakthrough.

I've been I've been starting to dabble in in kind of ways to use some of these large language models and some of the video generators and image generators. I'm I'm not an early adopter, but I'm getting there on on AI platforms. That's been new for me.

So people are dating robots, AI. What are your thoughts on that, sir?

Uh, I think most people in the world will care more about human relationships in the future, not less. I'm sure some people will have deep emotional connection with AI, but I don't one of the things I hope is that as we build better tools, we get to focus more on relationships with each other.

I've learned uh, how to integrate AI into my life in a way that um is really revolutionary, where I have an actual ongoing conversation with my AI agent every morning, and I will talk about things I want to know in the world. Um, I'll have a, this is what I'm thinking, I'm thinking about XYZ, stream of consciousness, and then say, what are your thoughts? It's insane. You should try it as an exercise.

Do they give you like advice like for like everyday stuff?

All the time.