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The Next Wave for AI

We’re on the brink of three major shifts in Al: huge context windows, agent-based learning, and text-to-action capabilities.

Context windows are expanding sos rapidly that we can hand an Al something as large as a library of books and have it make sense of the whole set, even though it “forgets” in the middle, much like human short- term memory.

#the_local network

Meanwhile, agents are emerging as LLMs that can learn by reading, testing, and reconfiguring their own understanding.

Finally, text-to-action is where you’ll be able to say, “Build me the next (XYZ),” and the Al will code, iterate, and deploy it, instantly at scale.

Put all three together, and we’re talking about an impact that dwarfs what social media did to the world.

Imagine everyone having a personal programmer: not just for silly projects, but for real innovation or disruptive tools.

Right now, these systems are limited by cost and complexity, but those barriers won’t last.

The moment they come down, you’ll see a wave of new creations roll out in mere hours or days, things no single developer or team could’ve spun up alone.

That’s the power of big context, self- learning agents, and instant action, all merging in the very near future.

#information #communication #technology
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3 Brain Systems That Control Your Behavior Reptilian, Limbic, Neocortex

By Robert Sapolsky

Reptilian brain

Also known as the primal brain, this is the oldest part of the brain and is responsible for basic life functions like breathing and alerting us to danger. It’s also responsible for the fight or flight response. 

Limbic system

Also known as the paleomammalian brain, this part of the brain is responsible for emotions and is involved in learning and memory. It’s based on instinct and past experiences. 

Neocortex

Also known as the neomammalian brain, this part of the brain is responsible for higher cognitive functions like reasoning and logical thought. It’s the outermost part of the brain. 

Video by Robert Sapolsky

These three parts of the brain are often described as working together to keep us alive. However, the triune brain hypothesis, which describes the brain as having these three components, has been criticized and is no longer widely accepted by comparative neuroscientists. 

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Orchestrated Objective Reduction theory (Orch OR)

orch-or
  1. Quantum Consciousness:
  • The Orch OR suggests that consciousness is a quantum process facilitated by microtubules in the brain’s nerve cells.
  • Microtubules are protein-based structures forming part of the cell’s cytoskeleton.
  • According to this theory, consciousness is akin to a quantum wave that passes through these microtubules.
  • Like any quantum wave, it exhibits properties such as superposition (existing in multiple states simultaneously) and entanglement (connection between particles even when far apart).
  1. Universal Connection:
  • Penrose and Hameroff propose that our consciousness can connect or entangle with quantum particles outside our brain, theoretically spanning the entire universe.
  • However, other scientists have raised objections. Efforts to recreate quantum coherence (keeping particles in a wave state) only succeed in very cold, controlled environments.
  • The brain, being warm, wet, and dynamic, doesn’t fit these conditions, leading to skepticism about consciousness remaining in superposition.
  1. Criticism and Challenges:
  • Orch OR has faced criticism from mathematicians, philosophers, and scientists.
  • Key points of contention include Penrose’s interpretation of Gödel’s theorem, the link between non-computability and quantum events, and the brain’s unsuitability for hosting the required quantum phenomena due to its warm and noisy nature.

In summary, Orch OR offers an intriguing perspective on consciousness, suggesting that it emerges from quantum processes within our neurons and may connect with the universe at large¹²³⁴. However, it remains a topic of ongoing debate and exploration in the scientific community. 🌟

Source: Conversation with Bing, 4/23/2024
(1) Orchestrated objective reduction – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestrated_objective_reduction.
(2) How quantum brain biology can rescue conscious free will. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnint.2012.00093/full.
(3) 14 Orch OR and the Quantum Biology of Consciousness – Oxford Academic. https://academic.oup.com/book/44484/chapter/376471400.
(4) 14 CONSCIOUSNESS IN THE UNIVERSE AN UPDATED REVIEW OF THE “ORCH OR” THEORY. https://anesth.medicine.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/hameroff-penrose_updated_review_of_orch_or_2016_b2237_ch-14_revised-2-3.pdf.
(5) en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orchestrated_objective_reduction.