Most surprising or memorable bit of information
I think the idea of computers lacking the creativity to think of a new way to apply theory is really interesting. It really reinforces the idea that computers are primarily a tool for us to explore our ideas, yet when it comes to finding new ideas, they generally lack the more comprehensive understanding necessary to create compelling “imaginations” about the future.
Link: https://www.labxchange.org/library/items/lb:HarvardX:c1543a73:lx_simulation:1?fullscreen=true
Unasked and/or unanswered question, and why?
How do you see automation changing the way we collect data? Generally speaking, data collection is a very laborious process. Yet as mentioned, collecting as much data as you want does nothing if it’s not the “right” data so help with a given problem. Do you think we could come to a point that we take automation too far and it leads us to using correlated variables, yet unrelated such that there isn’t an actual causal effect?
Link: https://www.labxchange.org/library/items/lb:HarvardX:c1543a73:lx_simulation:1?fullscreen=true
Like other commenters before me, I'm curious what you think about the use of AI compared to previous computers that were previously just used as tools for humans to explore their ideas? Is it possible that, in the future, AI can potentially actually gain that creativity, or is that "creativity" something that is truly human? The AI we have today is only based on past information it is fed from humans, so in reality it doesn't actually create "new" ideas—yet, perhaps one day in the future, that would be possible (such as the AI models we see in Interstellar, or the MCU, per se).
I was also interested in how computers lack the creativity to think of new ways to apply theories, in a way that humans have been able to do across time. Just like Lily, I also wonder if AI will not be able to do this very soon, or at least help humans think of different theories to test for example.
I too found the bit on computers lacking the creativity to think of new ways to apply theory very compelling. Do you think that AI in the future will have this ability?