For me, AI's goals are very cool but most of its approaches not so much. In fact, I find most AI talks rather boring.

The only parts I really like have to do with human computation (e.g., ESP Game) and stealing ideas from nature (e.g., genetic programming, ant colony optimization, etc.):

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8246463980976635143

http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Biology-Peter-J-Bentley/dp/074...