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Growing up with AI

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Re: Growing up with AI

#3
Most of these articles have the same narrative, summarized as: We have seen how dangerous and important technology is with elections, now it's more important than ever we educate everyone about AI.

As if the two concepts follow or are related at all, it seems more like a extremely convenient way to pivot the conversation to this new area of hype in technology while not actually owning up to anything.

How about we talk about anti-trust law, privacy, and busting up Facebook and Google instead?

Re: Growing up with AI

#4

Most of these articles have the same narrative, summarized as: We have seen how dangerous and important technology is with elections, now it's more important than ever we educate everyone about AI. As if the two concepts follow or are related at all, it seems more like a extremely convenient way to pivot the conversation to this new area of hype in technology while not actually owning up to anything. How about we tal…

I want something to new to come up and shatter Facebook, Google etc. We need more internet companies, and right now Facebook & Google reek with a vile stench. They lack creativity and innovation. They are the IBM of the current generation.

Re: Growing up with AI

#6

Most of these articles have the same narrative, summarized as: We have seen how dangerous and important technology is with elections, now it's more important than ever we educate everyone about AI. As if the two concepts follow or are related at all, it seems more like a extremely convenient way to pivot the conversation to this new area of hype in technology while not actually owning up to anything. How about we tal…

I want something to new to come up and shatter Facebook, Google etc. We need more internet companies, and right now Facebook & Google reek with a vile stench. They lack creativity and innovation. They are the IBM of the current generation.

As far as fundamental research goes, they are both currently doing a lot of the very best machine learning research.

What they are as companies is an entirely different matter, in which case I would not doubt your comparison.

Take, for example, the decreasing quality in user experience in map apps over the last few years. Mining our data is apparently much more valuable than doing a simple job better.

Re: Growing up with AI

#7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I want something to new to come up and shatter Facebook, Google etc. We need more internet companies, and right now Facebook & Google reek with a vile stench. They lack creativity and innovation. They are the IBM of the current generation.

As far as fundamental research goes, they are both currently doing a lot of the very best machine learning research. What they are as companies is an entirely different matter, in which case I would not doubt your comparison. Take, for example, the decreasing quality in user experience in map apps over the last few years. Mining our data is apparently much more valuable than doing a simple job better.

Apple maps got way better! Granted, coming from a difficult starting point...

Re: Growing up with AI

#8
One point that is not raised or discussed, which I think is important, is that these learning platforms are not “the real thing”. They’re just artificial environments with building blocks designed for making toy projects, but no engineer would ever use them to build something of significance.

This is not to take away from the work - I’m a big fan of Cynthia Breazal’s group and the work her graduate students have done over the years. But it would be nice to see effort put into removing the artificial separations between user/programmer, or learner/professional. An apprentice carpenter uses real hammers and table saws, an apprentice baker uses real flour and sugar and ovens, so why are apprentice programmers using the plastic playset/ez bake oven equivalent of Tensorflow?

(and if the answer is just “because tensorflow is too hard for a 7 year old”, then how can we get somewhere where there is something as powerful, if not more so, than Tensorflow, while also being accessible to 7 year olds?)

Re: Growing up with AI

#9
post #8

One point that is not raised or discussed, which I think is important, is that these learning platforms are not “the real thing”. They’re just artificial environments with building blocks designed for making toy projects, but no engineer would ever use them to build something of significance. This is not to take away from the work - I’m a big fan of Cynthia Breazal’s group and the work her graduate students have done…

An apprentice carpenter often does not use 'real' power tools. Nail guns for example are significantly more expensive and dangerous than a hammer, but also more specialized.

Re: Growing up with AI

#10
This is a great project but I can't help say it: I don't like Scratch (and similar block-based languages). They are limited, in some cases by design (e.g. opening files in Scratch) but usually by their very nature. I very much prefer the safety wheel way of learning to ride a bike: use the real thing with addons until you don't need them.

Maybe I'm wrong, any thoughts from people who worked with kids? I can give anecdotal evidence from my son (had no problems with Python or CHIP-8) but that's a sample size of 1.

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