Saturday, May 20, 2023
Bee Day. Bee Day. This an emergency.
BeeDay BeeDay humans are sinking the biodiversity for their greed and replicating genes. BeeDay BeeDay. This is an emergency.
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Emergent properties or is it “mirage”/“hallucination”/“sparks/glimmer of AGI”?
So, has AI acquired emergent
properties? The concept of emergence
has been in use in science for decades, it means complex, unpredictable
behaviors, emerging from simple natural laws. Emergent phenomena are ubiquitous in
nature (indeed nothing in science makes sense without emergence) and a proper
grasp of how they come about could hold the key to solving some of our biggest
mysteries. Nobel
laureate physicist Philip Anderson worked the idea of emergence as quantitative
changes that can lead to qualitatively different and unexpected phenomena. For
AI LLM systems (which are very large transformer neural networks, often
spanning across hundreds of billions of parameters, trained on hundreds of
gigabytes of text data) it means abilities not present in smaller models but
present in larger models, unexpected and unintended abilities, to
elaborate further, impressive abilities
gained by programs that they were supposedly never trained to possess, that is,
seeking to transcend for new functions. So, as a dampener, a paper (yet to be
peer reviewed) by a team of Stanford scientists, argue that the “glimmers of
artificial general intelligence (AGI)” we're seeing are all just “an illusion”.
They found that when “more data and less specific metrics are brought into the
picture, these seemingly unpredictable properties become quite predictable”.
The researchers argue that "existing claims of emergent abilities are
creations of the researcher's analysis, not fundamental changes in model
behavior on specific tasks with scale”. In simple terms it means that it is borne out of inherently flawed metrics. Soon enough some
have gone for the attack, this from an article I read the other day “Claiming that complex outputs arising from
even more complex inputs is ‘emergent behavior’ is like finding a severed
finger in a hot dog and claiming the hot dog factory has learned to create
fingers”. “Modern AI chatbots are not magical artifacts without precedent in
human history. They are not producing something out of nothing. They do not reveal
insights into the laws that govern human consciousness and our physical
universe. They are industrial-scale knowledge sausages”. Even the claims of ChatGPT
learning new language, Bengali, on its own is being questioned. There are
allegations of market ploy to get attention and investors. It surely is getting
nasty. Neural network based deep machine learning generative algorithm can
provide solutions to lots of our problems, and may even bring out hidden logics
of fusion, but to claim that it will provide solutions for climate change or
biodiversity loss is spurious. Scientists and researchers have it well documented,
AI will only make it much clearer but that shouldn’t be an excuse to distract
from fossil fuel. There is already an attempt to distract towards fossil fuel emissions
in forthcoming COP28 -a meet which is already doomed.
So
where is the truth? The truth is not in the extremes. There are enough evidences of
emergent ability in AI, atleast in narrow discreet setting. Halicin, protein
folds so on are some brilliant examples of AI probing reason beyond
our comprehension. The brilliance of few simple rules of chess or Go that created
unexpected complexities of moves or reasons in black box that we are not privy
to. Clearly very complex is being solved with a relatively simple algorithm. This
is emergent ability. The problem is when you confine AI/generative
algorithm to LLM, as also mess up with claims of AGI, conscious, sentient and
what not. On its own LLM models like ChatGPT4, PaLM, BARD so on are quite spectacular
achievement, one needn’t spoil it with claims of AGI. There is digital intelligence
that is created when billions of parameters and gigabytes are involved, and with
multimodal input through everyday talk, videos, converted into texts for LLM, meaning
sights and sounds are accessed, and very conceivable for other senses be activated.
It is
conceivable that LLMs develop an internal complexity that goes well beyond a
shallow statistical analysis. It will be certainly much more than a stochastic
parrot, and carry complexity to build some representation of the world. Language
have evolved through thousands of years of iteration and has logic of thought that
is based on simple rules of grammar but meanings are approximation of logic and
context that may not be expressible or confined through grammar. Powerful AI is
well placed to access this black box logic of thought. Hinton is right
there is an alien
that is the sum total of our language.
Friday, May 12, 2023
The CNN syndrome
CNN positions itself as some kind
of value-based savior media, we too fall for the ruse forgetting that these are
money making enterprise, and like cheapskates positioning as media in India
they too are working for next meal or EMI. It’s a miserable life. You can
always find relevant news through online platform streamline to your need, as
for Indian media I follow the worst references catering to my expectations from Indian media
(it’s hilarious the way these dimwits use adjectives as clickbait). There was a
time when Pronnoy’s angels cooed with castetva sycophants to save the world, dangerous
caste cannibal lacking any discerning skill whatsoever as President of India opened
up democratic institutions to honor greatest living Indians, saccharine fizz
seller (exploiting groundwater, plastic polluting and ofcourse disease
spreading) was right at the top list. If you got into the minds of likes of Pranab
for insight you will shudder at the degradation. A tradition of deeply flawed
psychopaths like ‘Rajaji’ nurtured by castetva forces, imagine the despicable caste
cannibal grabbing Governor General’s position licking the colonials while
playing freedom, even snarled for President’s position, snatched the Bharat Ratna,
meanwhile presented as CM of TN (the degradation this trash in human form unleashed
is still felt). There are streets, colonies even a wildlife sanctuary (that too
in Uttarakhand) named after this pus. He is an abiding inspiration for all the
manipulators getting up every day morning to manipulate afresh to never give
up!
So, where does CNN fit in? We
have seen in recent times how BBC has degraded itself, indeed a media that
emerges from monarchy feudal and christianity ensconced value system is already
compromised. With Fox News asked to pay the due for its wanton misdeeds in the
garb of media hence diminished the charlatans at CNN saw an opportunity to fill
in the gap. Imagine these scoundrels. They invited former president -space shifting
sputum- and this is the least offensive reference I can muster, to balance. They
arranged it to fit in the market needs, essentially a jolly affair to keep the
herd happy. CNN very well knew herd is now a mob, and the mobster is slick in his
turf. Nevertheless, they went ahead, this foolhardy entitled assurance and heuristic
salivating is a defining characteristic of the times we live in. Pity. Beware people.
Be very careful of these high-end manipulators. They are here to mollycoddle
the powerful and least bothered how much misery it causes. They are
here to do what benefits them. They are here to prime us to compromise and tolerant
to degradation as we loose our world and our sensibilities. These are the entertainers on the deck of sinking ship. These are
the foot soldiers of apocalypse. There is nothing else to this template. The system
has iterated for narrow gains for too long hence gone crazy. Period.
Post script: what I have realized
over time is that existential issues like climate change or extinction cannot
really be tackled with contemporary framework, the market capitalist economy
and opportunistic systems that it nurtures. It seems to be futile. These are
stampeded by manipulators trying to position for benefit. Prescient youngsters
and perceptive indigenous people are only genuine presence, and you can really
feel for them. We have failed, the system panders the herd and herd
controllers, a self-defeating loop. It has become impossible to take collective
action for common good. Sustainable technologies and solutions seem the only
way out.
Saturday, May 06, 2023
An open letter to Mr. Charles
Dear Mr. Charles,
"We are under no king; let each vindicate himself."-Seneca
I write this from India, a former
colony of Britain that still suffers from after effects of colonial exploitation.
Not that it was better off before colonialized, but then we need someone to
blame and british raj ticks all the excuses. The reason I am writing in English, and
not in Spanish or French, is just as fated. India was waiting to be colonized,
and it just happened to be Britain. So, we common people were fated. Your luck.
English is an interesting language though, and opened new areas of inquisitiveness
unlike Indian languages that were stuck in time warp of unenterprising self-obsessed
people. I don’t agree with civilizing mission of racist colonizers nor do I agree
on accomplished civilized mission of primitive Indian elite. India was always trapped
in worst of outcomes. So, nobody really can be blamed. Some talk of reparation
and apology. There is really nothing to apologize for nor any need for reparation.
What happened must be seen in the context of time. Line has to be drawn. Few centuries
back world was a nasty place. Might and power decided what was right. Most of
the world lived in terror of aggression and exploitation. Europeans were efficient
and enterprising to create technology to explore the world. While much of the
world lacked, it is not that they were non violent or peace loving -indeed societies
are brutal and it’s a common feature, they are essentially defined by dominant value
systems. Humans are as violent as nature is. For last few decades much of world
has created systems of law and order, democratic institutions and justice
system, hence spaces of peaceful secure existence for most people.
In the last few centuries monarchies
in Europe provided for long periods of tranquility within their boundaries, and
during these periods most of them encouraged and provided space for best of
human expressions and ideas, that accumulated from best of all across the world
through time from Greeks to Mesopotamia to Chinese and so on. Much of astounding
progress of humanity in the last few decades can be traced to these. It’s not
that other part of the world did not contribute. It was sporadic and most were incapable
to sustain due to various factors. Britain specifically was responsible for amazing
progress in science under the royal patronage. Not that science would not have
progressed without royal patronage but taken much longer time (facts are
already there, if not Newton someone else). Essentially this would have shifted
the trajectory of human progress which we see all around us, and possibly we
would still be living in the grip of fate driven fantasies and superstitions in
a much-diminished world. So, European monarchies despite committing atrocities
all across the world -which ofcourse seems natural in the context of time, have
served humanity immensely by creating settled secure space, hence traditions of
contemplating into streams of thoughts, consolidating into systematic learning and
enquiry, that put foundation to further search and research. Hence thank you to
the monarchs who lived during those ages. They guided for better world.
The world has come a long way
since then. Humanitarian values have consolidated in most part of the world. We
value freedom, equality, liberty and dignity of each individual, and these form
the lynchpin of human interactions and foundations for institutions on which
humanity’s progress is dependent on. Without these we are back to medieval uncertainties.
Reparations and apologies are not needed but systems that sustains feudal values
cannot be supported hence must go. Tradition and culture that doesn’t sustain egalitarian
values are not progressive hence persistent threat and source for misery. It is
therefore important for you to understand that existence of monarchy is an anachronism
that is challenging all that is precious to humanity, to each and every of
eight billion humans on this planet, particularly to the most vulnerable. How will you explain your position to that bright child negotiating her way to school despite overwhelming odds? Can you answer any of the question that
a man working 9-5 for meagre existence has? Will you be able to answer the
woman walking in treacherous heat for daily pot of water? You cannot. All your weight
of history and tradition is too light to the existential realities of life. Ascriptive
exceptionalism is worst of possibilities, it sustains the most degraded humans
that live among us and a constant threat whether caste cannibals (hindus) or
monster mullah (islam) or racist whites (christians) so on. The world is facing
enough serious crisis whether climate change, species extinctions or AI
generated polarizing disinformation set to be unleashed etc. and these need immediate
attention. What the world is witnessing in Britain is an embarrassing display
of medieval theatre of absurdity. It is an assault on humanity. It is exciting
the worst kind of people from all across the world, and initiating juvenile binary
discussions we don’t need. Adult humans can be better than this. Please grow
up. Have a reality check. Abdicate.
Best wishes
A concerned fellow
From your former colony
Thursday, May 04, 2023
Wednesday, May 03, 2023
Terrifying reality of Artificially generated fakes
I have closely observed
manipulators at work. These are the worst kind of humans, and they have spread
all across the world. Societies with strong ethical foundations tend to be less
compromised, societies that invested on education and care tend to have compassionate
value systems, but nevertheless these sinister forces work on the sidelines to
pounce on every opportunity, that is essentially targeting weakness of human or
system. They are here for money and power whichever way they can grab it. Semantics
(without any meaning except as debating point to showcase their liberal bearing
and virtue signaling) and control of narration is how they extended their sinister
grip. Lacking egalitarian foundation democratic institutions get compromised,
and nurture worst of possibilities. It was not an accident that british media
went with the lies (‘sexed up’) of Blair and Labour party to attack Iraq and
cause deaths and untold suffering to millions of people, and this less than a
century ago when they caused horrendous atrocities through colonialism and
slavery, the memories of which still flare the collective psyche. Clearly, the
system is compromised hence the cosmetic, indeed damaging, attempts at
multiculture that encourage worst of others. Religiophilia seems to be the
latest strategy by charlatans in West to have upper hand on narration. From this
entitled worldview common people are fodder for highest morals. The concerns
that will deeply and disproportionately impact them like climate change or flawed
economic systems so on will be least of concern. The everyday apprehension is
to control the narration till the weekend, and weekend I am told is for
partying.
Now if this is how the world is
then imagine the havoc AI generated images, videos, voices and deep fakes are
going to unleash on the hapless people. We are living in a world where trust is
almost nonexistent. So, we have to go by facts, and take effort to verify from diversity
of sources. What we see and hear is an important source of fact, ofcourse these
could be cleverly edited to create narration, but now imagine what we see and
hear itself is patently fake and still we are not able to discern. Imagine the deep
sense of disorientation this creates. This is precisely where the world is
entering, and wait with baited breath to see how these will be manipulated by
worst of people. Market media has primed us for fake, every product is sold to
us through fake narration that targets lowest emotions to part with our money
and time. This Ponzi scheme hides under the euphemism of words like democracy,
freedom, choices and growth. Worst of people are edging out the best possibilities
of democratic institutions, religions and human associations. Everything is graded,
classified, and evaluated for profit. Hence, it’s but natural that worst of AI
will spread faster. Lies always travel faster but AI generates lies on
steroids. Ofcourse immense possibilities
of AI will work in the background through meticulous contribution from best of
people with best of intentions. Apart from fakes biases and prejudices are multiplying
and being reinforced with machine learning algorithm trained on skewed data. Even
the objective function tends to be infected with subjective aspiration embedded
in mathematically defined success. The purpose defined for machine learned generative
algorithms is sketchy when interfacing with human values, hence the alignment
problem.
I as a consumer and a concerned
person would like to know what is machine learning goal of the system I am
interfacing with? I should have the right to know whether what I am dealing with i.e.
seeing or hearing is AI generated. There should be red letter tag AG (Artificially
Generated) warning or similar clear indication. You cannot stop AI, you can
only regulate with sensible actionable restrictions. Since this is an issue
that is not confined to national borders an international law is needed before
it’s too late. This powerful technology is developing very fast and worst of
people, nurtured into powerful positions by compromised systems, have access to
it. This shouldn’t be means to quantify suffering of majority of people into
greed for money, power and position for few. If not acted with alacrity AI generated
fake world has potential to collapse democracy, and hard-won values of freedom
and liberty. The pandemic of misinformation, disinformation, lies and fakes are
on AI steroid. They are infecting experiences. There is a significant qualitative
shift happening in the creation and presentation of fake in the last few months.
The situation really is quite dire, and what is unfolding is indeed terrifying.