Thanks for this thoughtful and very interesting response.
You're very welcome. I usually write in order to solidify my thoughts, but with a small hope that someone else out there might benefit.
There is an uncountable number of unknown inter-connections between all fields of human knowledge. My favorite hobby is to search for those inter-connections.
For instance, I found that AI research is very similar to Quantum Computer research, in many ways. If you want a taste of that inter-connection, then read this and then this; and then compare the numerous successful special-purpose AI/QC projects (e.g. Google Search, D-Wave) to the numerous failed general-purpose AI/QC projects (i.e. all of them). There are probably an equal number of both.
Another inter-connection: I only discovered the AI/QC inter-connection because of my readings into Lisp, which used to be the epicenter of AI research -- and the above blog post on LZ77 is filled with Lisp code.
Kind of reminds me about the series Silicon Valley. I didn't watch the full series but I spoilered myself about the end.
That is a very relevant comparison. Per Bylund pointed out that many tech companies, especially in the real Silicon Valley, are plagued by their incessant focus on interesting but ultimately unwanted products.
A better compression algorithm is neat (e.g. in the show Silicon Valley, and in Hutter's prize), but why would I, a consumer, pay for that? Incidentally, Hutter explains that working on compresison algorithms is a sign to potential employers that the programmer is highly-skilled. But the irony doubles over on itself when such a programmer winds up at an SV tech company working on a tech project that nobody wants.
You're very welcome. I usually write in order to solidify my thoughts, but with a small hope that someone else out there might benefit.
There is an uncountable number of unknown inter-connections between all fields of human knowledge. My favorite hobby is to search for those inter-connections.
For instance, I found that AI research is very similar to Quantum Computer research, in many ways. If you want a taste of that inter-connection, then read this and then this; and then compare the numerous successful special-purpose AI/QC projects (e.g. Google Search, D-Wave) to the numerous failed general-purpose AI/QC projects (i.e. all of them). There are probably an equal number of both.
But back on topic a little, here's another rabbit-hole regarding compression: Refactoring with LZ77: compression is compilation (?).
Another inter-connection: I only discovered the AI/QC inter-connection because of my readings into Lisp, which used to be the epicenter of AI research -- and the above blog post on LZ77 is filled with Lisp code.
That's good to know.
That is a very relevant comparison. Per Bylund pointed out that many tech companies, especially in the real Silicon Valley, are plagued by their incessant focus on interesting but ultimately unwanted products.
A better compression algorithm is neat (e.g. in the show Silicon Valley, and in Hutter's prize), but why would I, a consumer, pay for that? Incidentally, Hutter explains that working on compresison algorithms is a sign to potential employers that the programmer is highly-skilled. But the irony doubles over on itself when such a programmer winds up at an SV tech company working on a tech project that nobody wants.