A classical intelligence in a quantum universe

It’s time to stop training radiologists. AI can predict where and when crimes will occur. This neural network can tell if you’re gay. There will be a million Tesla robotaxis on the road by the end of 2020.

We’ve all seen the hyperbole. Big tech’s boldest claims make for the media’s most successful headlines, and the general public can’t get enough.

Ask 100 people on the street what they believe AI is capable of, and you’re guaranteed to get a cornucopia of nonsensical ideas.

To be perfectly clear: we definitely need more radiologists. AI can’t predict crimes, anyone who says otherwise is selling something. There’s also no AI that can tell if a human is gay, the premise itself is flawed.

And, finally, there are exactly zero self-driving robotaxis in the world right now — unless you’re counting experimental test vehicles.

But there’s a pretty good chance you believe at least one of those myths are real.

For every sober prognosticator calling for a more moderate view on the future of artificial intelligence, there exists a dozen exuberant “just around the corner”-ists who believe the secret sauce has already been discovered. To them, the only thing holding back the artificial general intelligence industry is scale.

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