“The AI Revolution Is On” and other factory-direct links…
Steven Levy via @timoreilly: “Today’s AI bears little resemblance to its initial conception. The field’s trailblazers in the 1950s and ’60s believed success lay in mimicking the logic-based reasoning that human brains were thought to use. In 1957, the AI crowd confidently predicted that machines would soon be able to replicate all kinds of human mental achievements. But that turned out to be wildly unachievable, in part because we still don’t really understand how the brain works, much less how to re-create it.” Like I’ve whined before, there are two ways, Westernized, left-brain-dominant, imperious science will “conquer” AI for the 1950’s dream: turn people into machines (which is already happening) and use missionary education to redefine what AI is to a new generation (ditt0).
“For minorities, new ‘digital divide’ seen ”
Jesse Washington: “But now some see a new ‘digital divide’ emerging with Latinos and blacks being challenged by more, not less, access to technology. It’s tough to fill out a job application on a cell phone, for example. Researchers have noticed signs of segregation online that perpetuate divisions in the physical world. And blacks and Latinos may be using their increased Web access more for entertainment than empowerment.” The opinion here is that most young people in the U.S. use computers/devices for pleasure instead of as a sobering tool. What I might have missed from the article is the very real possibility that most “blacks and Latinos” with “increased Web access” are young people.
“The Wall Street Journal Explains ‘Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior’”
Latoya Peterson: “Many of the commenters at the WSJ were horrified at both the premise of the article and the description of coercion Chua proudly positions as normal.” This links helps: “Push to achieve tied to suicide in Asian-American women.” This link goes deeper: “Young women tied to abortion rise in China.”