Grand Challenge

I just became aware of a talk given this year by Alan Kay where he looks at our evolution (humanity) and considers how thinking became more capable. Or did it? Well, yes, even though it's not apparent in many ways. Too, he proposes that machine learning being put first as we have seen with AI the past decade or so is like the tail wagging the dog. 

He suggests that we need a new platform and gives four basic notions all of which I agree with. Except, I would take it further, KISS notwithstanding. So, all of this is debatable. The platform, to be discussed as we go along, is the Grand Challenge. It runs down the same alleys as does truth engineering.

For now, here is a list of Alan's required resources: Folk Explanations, ... and Other Minds, Bertram E. Malle; the work of Doug Lenat; Causality, Judea Pearl; UI work, Bret Victor.  

FutureLaw presentation
Stanford Law School 

Platform? Lots to talk about there, as with the other themes involved with this important topic. 

Remarks: Modified: 12/31/2021

12/31/2021 --

NSCAI

Foreword: I could say, Christmas present, as I just became aware of this a couple of hours ago. Oh yes, I mention reading old papers. The stack is there. I do get through things regularly. But, I also get more reading. Like, the end of the year? Nothing better than the double issue of  The Economist. Never miss that one. 

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So, today, I was reading some older WSJ issues. I buy them and throw them on a stack for later reading several times a week. I try to get the weekend edition. The 15 Dec 2021 issue, there is an article that mentioned a book, by Graham Allison of Harvard, which looks at technology and war. The theme is whether the U.S. is losing to China.

Okay, they like to talk 5G, but it's still a work in process. I just got my first smartphone and have not spent much time on 5G. Would still be happy with 3G, but they took it away. So, 4G? It's been great. BTW, this is no luddite writing. I spent my career in advanced computing technology. Rather, I see things expanding like mad without rhyme or reason. 5G has a way to go; now, they're talking 6G (of course, mere whisperings). 

Let's talk one issue. So far, I have had two posts using a contraction: AIn't and AIn't, again. Bascially, after spending close to two years looking at AI, again, in an in-depth mode with a technical focus, I can see where the hype comes from. People talk. Some listen. Not many dive into the details. So, hype rises. 

It's human nature. Even techies do this. No one can spend the time to prove everything from first principles at all times and places. Just AIn't possible. So, we believe experts. And, we trust the government. This post is about that. 

After seeing the 15 Dec 2021 op-ed, I was browsing 8 Dec 2021. Same guy. The theme? Here are two bullets summarizing the subject mater. 

• The National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence - Wow. I was being technical. Thank God for that and not paying attention, except to watch the marketing hype and read on the angst. Big names. Funny, how this psychology is going to unwind itself. Well, gets your attention? That's 'National' in terms of the U.S. and included everyone (of course, DOD). But, they're not around any more. Since, there was a report. 
• The Report (archived) - I don't know how long the [dot] gov stuff will be around. So, the archive is legit. Notice, the Final Report (was released on 1 Oct 2021). There is a PDF and other resources. 
• Table of Contents - Thorough. As mentioned, lots of participants. So, we will look more closely at all of this. It's basically full of recommendations and suggested actions. 

But, on a quick read, my thought was 'AI is' by government decree. Well, we see lots of that. Or have. As mentioned, the psychology of this will be interesting to dive into. But, it's not set, yet. 

In the meantime, it's not unlawful to note that AIn't. I will switch to the 'Tis side when evidence comes about. There is none (prediction) in the report. Anything bordering on that would be rhetoric that can be challenged with a black board test. As in? Yes, let's step through the mathematics. For real. No quick and dirty. No, we have a couple of centuries to cover. 

Trouble is, I may not live long enough. I sure can talk truth engineering with regard to this. 

Remarks: Modified: 12/25/2021

12/25/2021 --

AIn't, again

 A month ago, we did a post on the subject of AIn't which is depicted in the graphic. Today, we offer a new view with coming updates. 

Some mention that there is a lot of hype, seemingly driven by marketing. For what reason, one might ask. Too, others have noted that the NN part of this, while creative, might be better done under some purview of a scientific framework. 

We usually do not live where experiments are done on the populace as a whole, except that has been the modus operandi of economists from its start. 

Big pharma needs to prove that which they will be pushing, at least, they have since the days of the snake-oil salesmen were put to a close. 

Remarks: Modified: 12/25/2021

12/25/2021 -- NSCAI and its report. 

AIn't

 AIn't? Means what? 

Notice, AI is bold. Usual meaning. Though, there are many; of late, something called DL ('deep' learning) has taken hold on the imagination. Ain't? Grammar police baiting? 

This post is a reminder of important topics to be discussed in the future. 

Now future? Let's say, the one being touted by Peter Schiff (Dr. Doom) who has been even more vocal of late about the policies to ruin. I only listened to a minute's worth. 

Has anyone noted that people yak, others listen (or pretend to)? Have you sat through a video of a mathematical proof? Sure, some semblance. 

The point is that reading/writing is how deep (the real sense, not the wannabe of DL) knowledge gets conveyed across generations. 

Now, deep? The whole phenomenal events related to grokking is an example. People pursue this by several means, one of which is finding a guru. 

Why mention this? Not only do we have a false AI, robotics is becoming seen as an economic savior. You realize that some of the AI folks bragged about the fake faces being generated by their systems, none of which have any link to something real? 

Robotics? The past year plus, many more companies have sought to use these. Mostly, they do some task that can be harmful for humans (Bezos types of actions). But, call a company. Chances are that you deal with a bot of some sort.   

It's irritating for many reasons. Some companies have made it impossible to talk a person. And, chat? Bots, to boot.

Back to Peter. We're getting back into a regular posting mode. After all, this blog came from one that started in 2007 for reasons of writing of business silliness, some of it was motivated by stupidity while there were other things that are more malfeasance in nature. 

So, AI can be used as a metaphor. It really is a type of 'umbrella' notion. Whereas in reality? We are talking advanced mathematics abetted by computing. And, there we can be more scientifically oriented than has been tried in the past. 

Remarks: Modified: 12/25/2021

12/03/2021 -- Updated the notion with a graphic for AIn't. 

Remarks: Modified: 12/25/2021

12/25/2021 -- NSCAI and its report. 

New day and age

We have this with the inaugural every four or eight years. At noon, the old realm goes; the new one comes in. Interesting that January twentieth was picked. We are too close to the start to get some grip on the matters at hand; and, the transition was not normal in the sense of the past few decades. However, there are enough traditional affairs to watch for (like the parade; this time, no people). 

Tone of the thing. Let's just say, Bidin' Biden's time. 

So, let's go back through these blogs and posts and link to them with some commentary. 

• Truth engineering - A New Day - Weds. 21 Jan 2009. In the Address, we heard this: hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism. 
• 7'oops7 - A New Day - Weds. 21 Jan 2009. We had hoped that some notion of 'fiduciary duty' would become more in the vogue with some mention of the 'toxic securities' that were begging attention. How did that all end? 
• Truth engineering - Zeno, in the modern context - Sun. 30 Jan 2013. An article use Zeno for what I was terming 'earned value' which seems to have been lost in the shuffle. Well, for one thing, chasing the dream of AI has pulled attention from important ideas even when AI is only high-speed mathematics cloaked with a wizard's gown. Not much there, actually. In this post, there are links to posts on the same day in the other two blogs, 7'oops7 and FEDaerated. 

For the three blogs, there was no mention of the 2017 event. For one thing, I was on Quora doing, more or less, the same thing. However, this year, we will be back to this forum with insight gained over the past four years. 

Remarks: Modified: 01/20/2021

01/20/2021 --

MIT Sloan

They gave us a gift: 737MAX: A Failure of Management, not just Technology. You know, I've waited 15 years for this. Truth engineering came out of my experiences at Boeing. So, it's tied in with technical management at its core. 

We will be going into how the computer is the main source for the confusion that we see. Another? SciFi and its addling of the human brain.  

Remarks: Modified: 01/02/2021

01/02/2021 --