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What Makes for ‘Good’ Mathematics?

February 1, 2024

Terence Tao, who has been called the “Mozart of Mathematics,” wrote an essay in 2007 about the common ingredients in “good” mathematical research. In this episode, the Fields Medalist joins Steven Strogatz to revisit the topic.

New Theory Suggests Chatbots Can Understand Text

January 22, 2024

Far from being “stochastic parrots,” the biggest large language models seem to learn enough skills to understand the words they’re processing.

The Year in Computer Science

December 20, 2023

Artificial intelligence learned how to generate text and art better than ever before, while computer scientists developed algorithms that solved long-standing problems.

AI System Beats Chess Puzzles With ‘Artificial Brainstorming’

November 15, 2023

By bringing together disparate approaches, machines can reach a new level of creative problem-solving.

Q&A

The Computing Pioneer Helping AI See

October 24, 2023

Alexei Efros has spent his career learning how machines see differently from humans. Now he’s helping to bridge the gap.

Tiny Language Models Come of Age

October 5, 2023

To better understand how neural networks learn to simulate writing, researchers trained simpler versions on synthetic children’s stories.

The Physical Process That Powers a New Type of Generative AI

September 19, 2023

Some modern image generators rely on the principles of diffusion to create images. Alternatives based on the process behind the distribution of charged particles may yield even better results.

Machine Learning Aids Classical Modeling of Quantum Systems

September 14, 2023

By using “classical shadows,” ordinary computers can beat quantum computers at the tricky task of understanding quantum behaviors.

Q&A

Why Mathematical Proof Is a Social Compact

August 31, 2023

Number theorist Andrew Granville on what mathematics really is — and why objectivity is never quite within reach.

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