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The Retort AI Podcast

Cybernetics, Feedback, and Reinventionism in CS

Dec 8, 2023
In this podcast, the speakers discuss the historical context of cybernetics and its connection to computer science. They explore the impact of machine learning models on society and the challenges of implementing real-time feedback in AI experiments. The conversation also delves into the unknowns and risks in computer science ethics, particularly regarding reinforcement learning.
41:39

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Quick takeaways

  • Cybernetics laid the groundwork for understanding how systems learn and adapt to their environment.
  • Third order cybernetics raises questions about the purpose of human interaction and control over the emergent behavior of AI systems.

Deep dives

The Emergence of Cybernetics and Dynamic Systems

Cybernetics, which emerged during World War II, explored the modeling and control of dynamic systems such as missiles and aircraft. Norbert Wiener, a major figure in cybernetics, developed models to monitor and control the real-time dynamics of these systems. The insights gained from cybernetics allowed for a new way of thinking about living things and how they interact with their environment. The field of study became an interdisciplinary movement, bringing together various disciplines to explore the dynamics of systems. This new understanding of dynamics laid the groundwork for second order cybernetics, which considered how systems learn from and adapt to their environment.

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