AI race?

I don't believe that there is only one way to build an intelligent system* and that it will be ideal for all applications/specialties. So I don't think that there is a race that will have a single "winner." In discussing "space races" I have noted issues that I have with "crash programs".**

Also, the first way that is discovered that is capable of doing something is frequently not the way that will prove best in the long run. An example would be DC electric power distribution being replaced by AC.

Is all this hype*** needed to fund AI research? It's diverting resources away from other equally important AI work.

* or one architecture or one set of hardware

** See my blog of 21 October 2024.  

*** lies

Mars colonization

The purpose of life is to survive and spread so it makes sense to colonize Mars. But this can involve mechanical life, it need not involve human life. 

LLMs today

LLMs currently are a system for learning* large complex functions from example data**. Currently those functions do not represent very long temporal sequences.*** They are also extremely energy inefficient.****

* approximating

** The data should really be cleaned, curated, and presented in the right order.

*** i.e., there is limited short term memory. This somewhat limits the tasks these LLMs are good for. But, again, different architectures are good for different tasks/specialties.

**** this is a rather brute force approach

A.s.a. H. question generation

 If A.s.a. generates an output signal that is too weak it will be unable to drive its effector (motor, servo, etc.). But if the output signal is above some preset threshold it can, instead, trigger a question, e.g., "should the xxxxxxx  effector be triggered?" Bystanders may then respond or ignore the question as they see fit. 

An issue with LLM generated computer code

 It is my impression* that LLM generated code requires more debugging as compared to my hand written code. I think most of us hate debugging. Especially debugging other people's code.

* I admit that I don't have enough experience to quantify this impression.

On the simulation hypothesis

First and foremost I am my mind. Our best current model says that my thoughts are electrochemical signals in a biological brain*. The simulation hypothesis would have me be signals (electrical?) in a vast computer. This doesn't seem any less "real". We've already been adding lots of layers to our models of reality*.

* Or, at a deeper level, quantum fields and the like?

Rocket recovery and reuse

For every pound you must invest in the heat shield for the recoverable rocket's orbital* stage you will lose one pound of payload. Does it make sense then to recover simple tankage? Perhaps one should only recover the engines, pumps, and avionics. I.e., something like** ULA's "SMART" but applied to the upper stage***.

* typically second stage 

** may or may not use inflatable heat shield

*** or think drop tanks