Parham Pourdavood
AI Research Scientist & Engineer | Computational Neuroscientist
I'm a research scientist, engineer, and computational neuroscientist working at the intersection of AI, cognitive science, and philosophy of technology. My research draws on neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and the history of technology to examine how AI systems reshape the way we think, communicate, and make meaning. I build open-source tools and LLM-based applications, and I care about making complex ideas about AI and cognition accessible — whether through public writing, invited talks, or workshops with educators and policymakers. I began doing theoretical neuroscience research as an undergraduate at UC Berkeley, with subsequent work at UCSF and the San Francisco VA Medical Center. My research is enriched by a parallel practice as a pianist and composer.
Research
Essays
- LLMs as Cultural DNA — Understanding LLMs through the lens of evolutionary biology
- AI as a Catalyst for Human Taste and Creativity — How AI amplifies rather than replaces human creative agency
- Perturbing LLM Attractors Intentionally — On the dynamics and societal implications of human-AI interaction
- Reclaiming Creativity in the Age of LLMs — A conversation with Terrence Deacon & Jay Ogilvy
Selected Talks
-
CLEA, Free University of Brussels · Sep 2025
-
N² Conference, UM6P · Dec 2024
-
Saint Mary's College of California · Oct 2024
-
N² Conference, UC Berkeley International House · Nov 2023
YouTube Series
Patterns and Meaning — a conversation series
- From Redundancy to Evolvability — with Terrence Deacon & Timothy Jackson
- From Optimization to Empathy: The Future of AI — with Tomás Veloz
- The Story of the Noosphere — with Brian Swimme & Monica DeRaspe-Bolles
- A Meaningful Evolutionary Mask of the Universe — with Dr. Clément Vidal
Music
- Improvised Rhapsodies for Piano, Vol. I — Improvised piano rhapsodies, 2026
- Beneath the Sign — Piano compositions, 2026