[Sora] You've Got Data, Now What (Use AI?) & Free Classes

[Jerry Curry]

Hello all,

In putting together eClips<http://statelibraryeclips.wordpress.com/>, I occasionally run across items that I think might be of interest to the research community.   I am happy to pass along.

As always, let the State Library know if we can be of assistance.

1.  Awash With Data, Now What?
2.  Artificial Intelligence - Too Smart for its Own Good?
3.  Free Ivy League Courses

1.   So, you've got data......loads of it.

But...... what do you do if you don't have enough labor to analyze it?

Oregon Awash With Cannabis Data, But With Few To Analyze It
https://www.opb.org/news/article/oregon-cannabis-marijuana-tracking-data-olcc-colorado-washington/


2.  Maybe AI can be the answer to our problems?

Well, kinda....but AI might find its own way and it might not exactly be what we want.

>From the Washington Post's Science update

"Thanks to neural network expert Janelle Shane<https://s2.washingtonpost.com/67b007/5ae9fcadfe1ff64f2511408e/amVycnkudy5jdXJyeUBzdGF0ZS5vci51cw%3D%3D/5/44/cd7c66b44149734b71ca82f9c8dddcb3>, who pointed it out on Twitter, I recently stumbled across this fascinating collection of anecdotes<https://s2.washingtonpost.com/67b008/5ae9fcadfe1ff64f2511408e/amVycnkudy5jdXJyeUBzdGF0ZS5vci51cw%3D%3D/6/44/cd7c66b44149734b71ca82f9c8dddcb3> from three dozen computer scientists. They argue that machine learning algorithms - computer programs that figure out how to solve problems through trial and error - can be creative too.

Among their examples:

  *   A robot that was supposed to evolve to move as fast as possible didn't develop legs or wheels; it learned to somersault. "Evolution discovers that it is simpler to design tall creatures that fall strategically than it is to uncover active locomotion strategies," the researchers wrote.
  *   A computer program designed to automatically fix a buggy sorting algorithm found a simple - if unhelpful - solution to the problem: it short-circuited the buggy program, deleting the contents of the lists it was supposed to sort. If there are no items on a list, it can't be out of order!
  *   And algorithm tasked with figuring out how to use the minimum amount of force needed to land a plane reached a solution unexpectedly fast. When researchers took a closer look, they realized that the algorithm was instead applying forces too large for the system to handle, causing it to register as a "zero." As Shane wrote, "The pilot would die but, hey, perfect score."
The  "fascinating collection of anecdotes" is available at:  https://arxiv.org/pdf/1803.03453.pdf?wpisrc=nl_science&wpmm=1

3.  300 Ivy League Online Courses You Can Take for Free

Take a look at:  https://statelibraryeclips.wordpress.com/2018/05/02/eclips-tip-looking-to-acquire-skills-300-free-ivy-league-online-courses-you-can-take-for-free/

There may be a number of courses that might be of interest to the group.

Until next time,
-Jerry

Jerry Curry
Reference Librarian/eClips Editor<https://statelibraryeclips.wordpress.com/>
jerry.w.curry at state.or.us<mailto:jerry.w.curry at state.or.us>
Phone 503-378-5008| www.oregon.gov/osl<http://www.oregon.gov/osl>
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