It’s not clear what the new project is about. Transcript of part of the video (starting at 5:09 in):
Once AI theory tells you what to look for, it’s easy to identify scientists, in physics and elsewhere, who think in the manner needed to initiate scientific research programs in fields where currently, only the surface features of science are present. Over the next few years, the Singularity Institute will identify and hire scientists who reliably follow such norms, and who also have good research track programs. More senior scientists can be hired for summer sessions, more junior ones frequently full-time. A dozen of each sounds like it would be plenty to lay foundations for a real science of nutrition. That’s more than it took to lay the foundations of physics, and really, although physics may be fundamentally simpler than nutrition, we’re not asking to outrun the bear, we are just asking to outrun the work of amateur scientists [performed] in their spare time just to benefit themselves. It’s certain that science better than that can be laid with less work than it took to bring about physics.
Is SIAI getting into nutrition science? (It was hopefully just an example confusingly used, but the wording in the talk seems to imply that it’s really about nutrition science, and that about 20 scientists will be hired by SIAI over the next few years to research nutrition.)
Nutrition is introduced earlier in the talk with the phrase “For example, consider nutrition,” and more examples are mentioned later, so I don’t think you have to worry.
Personally, I would be quite excited if a bunch of really smart people got onto nutrition research.
I would guess the intention was otherwise, but the fact that the word ‘nutrition’ is used twice is rather strange.
Edit: After watching most of the video it seems Vassar is suggesting that nutrition—amongst other possible fields—be selected for a sort of intensive, cultivated overhaul, by hand selecting and supporting highly capable researchers. Interesting idea.
Of course, there already are many privately funded research groups, perhaps some working in nutrition, so the secret sauce SIAI would be bringing to the table would have to be an exceptional eye for capable researchers, and perhaps exceptional management to boot. Those are both things I would suspect SIAI to be good at, or to be able to become good at.
Hm—there already is a science of nutrition (a bit well established as part of the medical sciences, not changing radically every few decades—though obviously progress happens), it’s just the non-science that sells better.
It’s not clear what the new project is about. Transcript of part of the video (starting at 5:09 in):
Is SIAI getting into nutrition science? (It was hopefully just an example confusingly used, but the wording in the talk seems to imply that it’s really about nutrition science, and that about 20 scientists will be hired by SIAI over the next few years to research nutrition.)
Nutrition is introduced earlier in the talk with the phrase “For example, consider nutrition,” and more examples are mentioned later, so I don’t think you have to worry.
Personally, I would be quite excited if a bunch of really smart people got onto nutrition research.
I would guess the intention was otherwise, but the fact that the word ‘nutrition’ is used twice is rather strange.
Edit: After watching most of the video it seems Vassar is suggesting that nutrition—amongst other possible fields—be selected for a sort of intensive, cultivated overhaul, by hand selecting and supporting highly capable researchers. Interesting idea.
Of course, there already are many privately funded research groups, perhaps some working in nutrition, so the secret sauce SIAI would be bringing to the table would have to be an exceptional eye for capable researchers, and perhaps exceptional management to boot. Those are both things I would suspect SIAI to be good at, or to be able to become good at.
Hm—there already is a science of nutrition (a bit well established as part of the medical sciences, not changing radically every few decades—though obviously progress happens), it’s just the non-science that sells better.