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Ray Kurzweil joins Google

kurzweilai.net

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Re: Ray Kurzweil joins Google

#61

Post by [deleted] »

michaelochurch wrote: post #51
dumitrue wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would you ever think that he is being blindly allocated to the position of Director of Engineering? In that position, he'll pretty much be in control of his own destiny at Google.

When I was there, Directors were still above the Real Googler Line, but it may have moved up in the time since then. Also, he lives in Massachusetts, which means he'll only get the work that MTV doesn't want (unless he moves). Finally, with his visibility, he's going to get a lot of prank Perf and his manager is going to have a hard time promoting him because of that.

[deleted]

Re: Ray Kurzweil joins Google

#63

Post by dbyrd »

brandall10 wrote: post #53
kanzure wrote: post #47

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They already have a working relationship. Now he's an employee. Don't get how this could be a stretch. Maybe because of his role at Google, "Director of Engineering". That's not a good description of what Singularity University offers their customers. They do maybe one or two field trips to BioCurious and call it quits. Also, why is Singularity University managing TedxAustin? That was a bizarre email to see.

Really? Their stated goal is: "assemble, educate and inspire a cadre of leaders who strive to understand and facilitate the development of exponentially advancing technologies and apply, focus and guide these tools to address humanity’s grand challenges." Why would this not in alignment w/ Google's aim for such a position? Why would they not want a strategist they believe who could direct their engineering staff in t…

You're all sorta right. I worked at Singularity University for 2 years. They do 2 things: 1. Educate fabulously wealthy people in expensive executive programs 2. Use that money to put on a YC-esk incubator during the program where people come to build companies that use the technology of their sponsors. Google was one of the first sponsors. Peter Norvig was on the Faculty for a couple years. So was Astro Teller who heads their special projects (Google X).

Re: Ray Kurzweil joins Google

#64

Post by dbyrd »

waterlesscloud wrote: post #15

It's seemed pretty clear to me for some time that Google's real mission is AI/singularity oriented and everything else is just a step along that road. It may not be what the day-to-day view is in the trenches, but it seems like the high level plan. A hire like this one certainly reinforces that perception. I don't know if it's truly possible to accomplish, but it's fascinating to see a major company taking steps in t…

Google has thousands of employees who all have a moderate amount of autonomy. I don't think they have a singular goal. They just do a bunch of stuff around organizing the world's data. Naturally AI/singularity oriented projects tend to emerge.

Re: Ray Kurzweil joins Google

#65

Post by SparrowOS »

Nigger-retard-doctors.

God says...

10:1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.

10:2 And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and they died before the LORD.

10:3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

10:4 And Moses called Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said unto them, Come near, carry your brethren from before the sanctuary out of the camp.

Re: Ray Kurzweil joins Google

#67

Post by etrain »

rpm4321 wrote: post #55
cschmidt wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just can't see Kurzweil being in the same league as Peter Norvig. Sure, he did some interesting work a long time ago, before he got weird. I can't see this working out well for Google, unless they just want a famous figurehead.

I'm reposting this comment I made a couple of months ago. He's no John McCarthy, but he was a true pioneer in the commercial applications of AI: ================================== I don't think that's a very fair assessment of Kurzweil's role in technology. He was on the ground, getting his hands dirty with the first commercial applications of AI. He made quite a bit of money selling his various companies and technol…

He's also an ACM Fellow, from it's first class - along with people like Knuth, Cerf, Rivest, Codd, etc.

Re: Ray Kurzweil joins Google

#69

Post by rpm4321 »

etrain wrote: post #67
rpm4321 wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm reposting this comment I made a couple of months ago. He's no John McCarthy, but he was a true pioneer in the commercial applications of AI: ================================== I don't think that's a very fair assessment of Kurzweil's role in technology. He was on the ground, getting his hands dirty with the first commercial applications of AI. He made quite a bit of money selling his various companies and technol…

He's also an ACM Fellow, from it's first class - along with people like Knuth, Cerf, Rivest, Codd, etc.

In addition, I'd rank Minsky, Larry Page, Bill Gates, Dean Kamen, Rafael Reif, Tomaso Poggio, Dileep George, and Kurzweil's other supporters as much more qualified to judge the merits of his ideas, than Kurzweil's detractors like Hofstadter, Kevin Kelly, Mitch Kapor, and Gary Marcus. It seems that Hofstadter is the only one of that group who is really qualified to render a verdict.

http://howtocreateamind.com/

Re: Ray Kurzweil joins Google

#70

Post by nealabq »

kanzure wrote: post #60
nealabq wrote: post #56

What's Kurzweil's motive? He's a visionary who can deliver a finished product. I think he must have some pretty specific ideas, and he wants to partner with Google. A few guesses: - New interfaces to replace keyboard/mouse/touch. Voice, gesture, face, brainwaves. Sign language with humming, blinking, and pupil pointing. Works with tablets, TVs, wearables, cars, buildings, ATMs, etc. - SuperPets (r) that can pass the…

> - New interfaces to replace keyboard/mouse/touch. Voice, gesture, face, brainwaves. Unfortunately, it turns out you can only get a limited number of bits out by looking at brainwaves (EEG). Gesture is much higher bandwidth, and keyboards seem to be the highest.

But American Sign Language is gestures, and it seems higher bandwidth than spoken English. Just an informal uninformed observation, I don't know ASL.

And I can't type as fast as I can talk. So I'm thinking gesticulating > speaking > typing.

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