Don’t be fooled. The call to pause AI research is purely symbolic.

Don’t be fooled. The call to pause AI research is purely symbolic.

More than 1,000 people including Elon Musk, Andrew Yang, and Steve Wozniak signed a statement calling for a six-month pause in development of large-language-model-based artificial intelligence systems like ChatGPT. “Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable,” the statement says….

Should IngramSpark ban AI-generated books along with other trash titles?

Should IngramSpark ban AI-generated books along with other trash titles?

IngramSpark, a self-publishing service, has now defined a set of trash book categories that it will no longer feature or distribute, including AI-generated books. As AI books get better, though, they might want to reconsider. IngramSpark is a print-on-demand and ebook distribution service offered by Ingram, a major book distributor. It delivers the same features…

AI algorithms are biased because reality is biased. But the algorithms can be fixed.

AI algorithms are biased because reality is biased. But the algorithms can be fixed.

The Apple Card, backed by Goldman Sachs and managed by algorithms, is apparently sexist. It’s giving men higher credit limits than women. The problem is in the “training set” of data — and it’s a fixable problem. In a Twitter thread that has caught fire, Silicon Valley David Heinemeier Hansson explains how despite the fact…

“The Age of Intent” — a big idea book about Artificial Intelligence

“The Age of Intent” — a big idea book about Artificial Intelligence

Two years ago, I got the opportunity to start work on a book about artificial intelligence. Today, you get to see the result. AI is one of the most powerful forces driving technology right now. Conversational interfaces — whether that’s online chat or Alexa — are another. Artificially intelligent chatbots, also known as virtual agents,…

What is machine learning? A psychedelic graphical journey
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What is machine learning? A psychedelic graphical journey

You must always treat the reader’s time as more valuable than your own. That’s the Iron Imperative, and it’s just as valid for graphics as it is for text. If you find yourself endlessly fiddling with with an elaborate diagram, ask yourself, “Is this really helping?” Then get help from a decent graphic artist. When…

Some questions about the President’s American Artificial Intelligence Initiative
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Some questions about the President’s American Artificial Intelligence Initiative

President Trump announced the “American AI initiative” with an executive order. Like many such presidential pronouncements (and not just from Trump), it’s somehow both blustery and mushy. Let’s take it apart and see if it makes sense. In what follows, commentary is mine. Passages in bold italic are passive voice, weasel words, or other notably…