Machine Learning Street Talk (MLST) THE HARD PROBLEM OF OBSERVERS - WOLFRAM & FRISTON [SPECIAL EDITION]
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Oct 29, 2023 
In this special conversation, Stephen Wolfram, a celebrated computer scientist known for the Wolfram Physics Project, and Carl Friston, a pioneering neuroscientist behind the Free Energy Principle, tackle profound questions about existence. They explore what defines an observer and agency in both natural and artificial worlds. Topics include how observers shape their perceptions, the intricacies of agency in AI, and the philosophical implications of predictability versus unpredictability in our universe. Their combined insights push the boundaries of understanding agency, consciousness, and reality.
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Predictability and Free Energy
- Organisms strive for predictability by modeling their environment or controlling it.
- This minimization of surprise is a key aspect of the free energy principle.
Minimizing Surprise
- Minimizing surprise and maximizing predictability are intertwined and essential for an organism's harmony with its environment.
- This principle seems to apply to non-equilibrium steady states, not just static ones.
Curiosity vs. Predictability
- Organisms aim to make their world predictable for survival, seemingly prioritizing the status quo.
- However, curiosity and the pursuit of unexpected discoveries in science challenge this predictability-seeking behavior.