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At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

nytimes.com

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Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#31

Post by noibl »

neilk wrote: post #27

Here's a collection of quotes from the triumvirate about artificial intelligence. http://ignoranceisfutile.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/google-fou... (Except, ignore the Moffett field thing. That has nothing to do with AI research as far as I know.) Anyway, any Googler will confirm that Sergey Brin, in particular, keeps returning to this idea: that Google's ultimate destiny is to realize Strong AI. I'm not saying they've…

> I'm not saying they've achieved anything.

Clearly you're not aware of the CADIE incident a couple of years ago.

http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/landing/cadie/

Be sure to check the blog.

(By far my favourite piece of Google whimsy, for the detail and number of teams involved) (You're right, muro)

Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#32

Post by [deleted] »

noibl wrote: post #31
neilk wrote: post #27

Here's a collection of quotes from the triumvirate about artificial intelligence. http://ignoranceisfutile.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/google-fou... (Except, ignore the Moffett field thing. That has nothing to do with AI research as far as I know.) Anyway, any Googler will confirm that Sergey Brin, in particular, keeps returning to this idea: that Google's ultimate destiny is to realize Strong AI. I'm not saying they've…

> I'm not saying they've achieved anything. Clearly you're not aware of the CADIE incident a couple of years ago. http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/landing/cadie/ Be sure to check the blog. (By far my favourite piece of Google whimsy, for the detail and number of teams involved) (You're right, muro)

[deleted]

Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#33

Post by muro »

noibl wrote: post #31
neilk wrote: post #27

Here's a collection of quotes from the triumvirate about artificial intelligence. http://ignoranceisfutile.wordpress.com/2008/09/13/google-fou... (Except, ignore the Moffett field thing. That has nothing to do with AI research as far as I know.) Anyway, any Googler will confirm that Sergey Brin, in particular, keeps returning to this idea: that Google's ultimate destiny is to realize Strong AI. I'm not saying they've…

> I'm not saying they've achieved anything. Clearly you're not aware of the CADIE incident a couple of years ago. http://www.google.com/intl/en_us/landing/cadie/ Be sure to check the blog. (By far my favourite piece of Google whimsy, for the detail and number of teams involved) (You're right, muro)

sorry - removed my previous comment in the meantime. It was obvious it's a joke, so I figured my comment is just noise.

And now I can replace it with even more words :)

Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#34

Post by wlievens »

Angostura wrote: post #25
aantix wrote: post #10

There have been times in my life where I've thought that I've had a "genius" idea and every cell in my body has said "Don't tell anyone. Hoard it. Cultivate it. And you'll be a revolutionary!" And then I end up sharing. And there never ceases to be one or two or four perspectives shared that I never thought of before. And in the end, I think the idea flourishes because I was open and shared and iterated and shared th…

Big cognitive leaps? Judging by the first paragraph of the article: "the future is being imagined...It’s a place where your refrigerator could be connected to the Internet, so it could order groceries when they ran low." the answer is "no". Of course that could just reflect a lack of imagination in NYT journalism, but really? I remember writing about that idea in early 1995 - about the same time that there was a fash…

> Of course that could just reflect a lack of imagination in NYT journalism

Don't underestimate that factor. Journalists, even really good ones, have no clue about technology at all.

Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#35

Post by wlievens »

jopt wrote: post #30

Maybe it's somehow an important proof-of-concept AI challenge, but restocking my fridge does not make the list of things I desperately need better technology for. The driverless cars are old news and space elevators are a niche at best. Whatever makes Google X interesting must truly be top secret.

> space elevators are a niche at best

What does that even mean?

Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#36

Post by Jd »

marshallp wrote: post #20
Jd wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"But is made public by the university researchers who usually create it" <-- yeah, the stuff you know about is made public, and the stuff you don't.... isn't. That's what secret means. I think I heard that 50% of the research in Neuroscience labs today is DoD sponsored and never sees the light of day. Mind-hacking anyone?

Tech that could be applied to civilians and made money on doesn't stay hidden for long - this is one place where the "greedy" mba types are the good guys.

I take it you think there are MBA types that wander around NSA headquarters, grab the dragonfly-size spy robots and bring them to market?

Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#37

Post by marshallp »

Jd wrote: post #36
marshallp wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Tech that could be applied to civilians and made money on doesn't stay hidden for long - this is one place where the "greedy" mba types are the good guys.

I take it you think there are MBA types that wander around NSA headquarters, grab the dragonfly-size spy robots and bring them to market?

yeah, exactly.

there has to be a management structure even at nsa, and management types are "networkers" who'll talk to people with money to invest.

Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#38

Post by nadam »

I am hacker and a geek, but nowadays I am more and more interested in marketing. I am wondering in what part the existence of such a lab and the emphasis in their communication on A.I. is a conscious marketing effort. I can imagine that even if nothing from that lab will make direct profit for them, and even if their search engine will never be even close to strong A.I. they can communicate an excellent marketing message: when you use Google you use strong A.I. (or at least almost). If we think about it this way the secretiveness can also make the story more exciting from a marketing perspective. Also if this is their main motivation then they will create more 'spectacular' prototypes rather than just honestly trying to solve deep problems.

Re: At Google X, a Top-Secret Lab Dreaming Up the Future

#39

Post by sylvinus »

waterlesscloud wrote: post #2

"It’s a place where your refrigerator could be connected to the Internet, so it could order groceries when they ran low. Your dinner plate could post to a social network what you’re eating. [...] These are just a few of the dreams being chased at Google X, the clandestine lab where Google is tackling a list of 100 shoot-for-the-stars ideas. " Those are shoot-for-the-stars ideas? I hope those are at the lowest end of…

http://fuckyeahinternetfridge.tumblr.com
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