Discussing Wonders
posted by Gavin | 8:29 PM
Tonight I was speculating to Jen about possible advances in artificial intelligence and what that might mean for humanity down the road. What if AI development could get to the point where we don't ask a computer to solve specific problems or how to do it, instead we merely tell it to look for problems and tell us what it found and its best solutions? We talked for several minutes, but didn't get too far because of a miscommunication. I wasn't being clear on what I wanted to discuss. She was pointing out that I'm hardly an expert on AI and how was I going to explain this development anyways?
I like to speculate about technological advances, admittedly without researching the topic in detail to defend them, because I'm really more interested on how such a development might impact us rather than how it works. That's how I like to think. I imagine something, and try to weigh how useful or beneficial it might be. I think such an approach is worthwhile; I decide whether I would spend resources to see if it can be done.
So I speculate out loud to Jen, trying to build up a scenario with the goal of to weigh the good and bad side of an idea like a technology development. I don't think I'm very clear when I bring it up that I'm more interested in what the effects would be. Since I mention the technology first, I think Jen interprets that an interest in how such a technology might work. Sometimes I haven't the faintest clue how such an advance could occur. Sometimes she doesn't either, the conversation sort of faulters as we wrestle with that. And sometimes never get to the point of whether such a wonder would be useful or not, which frustrates me. I think I frustrate her at the same time, sounding pretty cocky talking about things I don't know of.
I wonder how I can improve on that. Not on frustrating her, but the reverse. I think the biggest area I can improve on is effective communication, both verbal and written. So that's what I'm working on. It's also why you may notice me posting more often. :) Let me know when I'm not being effective.
Unfortuantely this week I'm working long hours, hard at documenting the process and software I built over the last year. Dozens of hours spent in the previous weeks doing the same. Despite all that, as I'm rushing I don't have a high confidence that the product will truly be effective. But, we'll see what the reviewers say.
I like to speculate about technological advances, admittedly without researching the topic in detail to defend them, because I'm really more interested on how such a development might impact us rather than how it works. That's how I like to think. I imagine something, and try to weigh how useful or beneficial it might be. I think such an approach is worthwhile; I decide whether I would spend resources to see if it can be done.
So I speculate out loud to Jen, trying to build up a scenario with the goal of to weigh the good and bad side of an idea like a technology development. I don't think I'm very clear when I bring it up that I'm more interested in what the effects would be. Since I mention the technology first, I think Jen interprets that an interest in how such a technology might work. Sometimes I haven't the faintest clue how such an advance could occur. Sometimes she doesn't either, the conversation sort of faulters as we wrestle with that. And sometimes never get to the point of whether such a wonder would be useful or not, which frustrates me. I think I frustrate her at the same time, sounding pretty cocky talking about things I don't know of.
I wonder how I can improve on that. Not on frustrating her, but the reverse. I think the biggest area I can improve on is effective communication, both verbal and written. So that's what I'm working on. It's also why you may notice me posting more often. :) Let me know when I'm not being effective.
Unfortuantely this week I'm working long hours, hard at documenting the process and software I built over the last year. Dozens of hours spent in the previous weeks doing the same. Despite all that, as I'm rushing I don't have a high confidence that the product will truly be effective. But, we'll see what the reviewers say.
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