Scaling Theory #21 – Melanie Moses: From Cells to Algorithms
Jul 29, 2025
Melanie Moses, a Professor of Computer Science at the University of New Mexico and Chair of the New Mexico AI Consortium, dives deep into the fascinating interplay of scaling theory in nature and technology. She reveals how decentralized systems like ant colonies can inform robust AI design. The discussion also highlights the costs of scalable infrastructure and advocates for innovative governance to address global challenges. Furthermore, Melanie examines the potential of biological principles in fostering collaboration and efficiency in AI, all while encouraging interdisciplinary research.
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Challenges of Scalable Trust
- Scalable trust is critical for global governance and cooperation among 8 billion people.
- Decentralized approaches like American federalism offer models for scalable, trustworthy institutions.
Biological Scaling in Society
- Biological scaling patterns appear in social systems but often with different exponents.
- Information-related activities, like patents and crime, scale super-linearly with population size.
Scaling Patterns of Urban Roads
- Urban road networks scale between centralized and decentralized designs.
- Traffic issues arise because road infrastructure does not scale with actual travel patterns.