My New Job - Shelf Stacking at Tesco's! (1 Viewer)

NauticalGent

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Well, hell...

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The_Doc_Man

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This has been the goal of many builders at many times in the last 40+ years. I have seen at least 4 such systems. PEOPLESOFT is an example of using data-driven design based on commonly known algorithms. But then, if you think about it, Access Wizards are a simple form of this. They don't design the best forms you've ever seen but they give you enough to take a running start. I use them all of the time as a way to build the framework that eventually becomes the polished product.

The idea of "how do we learn" is to some degree addressed by neural networks, wizards, and other self-programming methods. The catch is always "how do you handle the exceptions?" The answer is, programmers who can think outside the box. We will never be obsolete, but we might find that for routine programming issues like simple web design with pretty pictures and a few hot spots, we will have a lot less to do.

One of the things I always told my students when I was a more active teacher (usually as a side duty for my real job as a system analyst, system programmer, and process designer) was that you learn most quickly by seeing how others approach problems. Knowing the many ways that could be used, you can perform a true synthesis (literally, in this case, a merging of different ideas - the classical meaning of the word) that can eventually attack your problem.

So... if you give one of these auto-designers enough code snippets to manage problems and you can define the ways in which they fit together, you can eventually reach the point where your neural network can simulate the design process and come up with code to do the trick. Will that code be optimal? Probably not at first, but then, there ARE such things as code optimization algorithms that can find ways to clean up code and minimize its "footprint." Again, this is an application of many ideas on code optimization to synthesize an improved idea from the original code.

Uncle G, I wouldn't worry about becoming obsolete in our lifetimes. That kind of technology will take a long time to have a sufficient "knowledge base" as its foundation on which to build things. These auto-programmers are only as good as their libraries of solutions. They get better as their libraries get bigger. But here's the key to feeling better: If the persons who build their libraries produce crap for code, the auto-programmers will still produce crappy code, too. Garbage in, garbage out.
 

The_Doc_Man

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Don't consider being a delivery driver, either. Supposedly, drones are taking over THAT job, too. But there is always "drone pilot" as a possible profession. And at least with drones you have the additional safety of not being with the package. My stepson is a UPS driver and there are neighborhoods where they won't drive after dark because of too many robberies. At least if you are flying a drone and the thugs shoot, the only thing they kill is the drone.
 

Lightwave

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Who here thinks they will see AI in their lifetimes?

I think probably (based on no evidence)

Surely it will be exponential such that it quickly becomes more intelligent than its masters.?
 
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Minty

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I believe that there are already "AI" solutions out there that can give accurate legal advice to a very competent level, similarly with medical advice.

The knowledge bases for both these are based on the same programming (IBM I think) that won the Double Jeopardy quiz in the US.
 

Uncle Gizmo

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As you know I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek with my comment here however I'm not quite so sure anymore have a look at this:-

https://www.blog.google/products/g-suite/visualize-data-instantly-machine-learning-google-sheets/ it's absolutely fantastic!!!

Google:-Rolling out new features in Sheets → Sheets can build charts for you --- powered by machine learning ---

Simply ask questions—in words, LIKE >>> “what is the distribution of products sold?” or “what are average sales on Sundays?”

If you don’t see the chart you need, just ask. Instead of manually building charts, ask Explore to do it by typing in:-

“histogram of 2017 customer ratings” or “bar chart for ice cream sales.”
 
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The_Doc_Man

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I have recently seen some articles about IBM's "Watson" project, which uses neural net technology on many fronts.

The one that impressed me was the oncological database in which Watson looked at data from literally thousands of patients and did some sort of correlation to symptoms. It is now FASTER than any living oncologist in finding cancer and is accurate about as often as the best human oncologists at diagnosis. It is MORE accurate than many humans. Something over 92% accurate in looking at symptoms and tests and coming up with a cancer diagnosis. The future of this is that a small-town doctor can run some tests, ship off blood samples and X-rays, and get back data that Watson can analyze. The doctor gets a consulting physician with a 92% success rate.

The part of about that which is so incredible is that if they can get 92% out of their data now, what will they get when the database grows an order of magnitude? In essence, the statistical nature of their performance is improved by offering more data, both for positive and for negative diagnoses. Accuracy for this kind of stuff goes up as the square root of the increase in sample population.

The only more accurate oncological diagnostic tool is the cancer-sniffing hounds, which can detect skin cancers too small to see without a microscope. Who needs a CAT scan when you can have a very accurate dog scan?
 

Brianwarnock

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The only more accurate oncological diagnostic tool is the cancer-sniffing hounds, which can detect skin cancers too small to see without a microscope. Who needs a CAT scan when you can have a very accurate dog scan?

The next step is for the dog to lick it better.
 

Galaxiom

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The one that impressed me was the oncological database in which Watson looked at data from literally thousands of patients and did some sort of correlation to symptoms.

SQL Server SSAS has a feature where it makes projections based on existing data patterns.
 

The_Doc_Man

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I once got into a heated argument with one of my uncles, now deceased, about whether machines would ever think and whether AI research was worth it. He was adamant that all of the AI examples I threw his way were not really thinking.

I finally silenced him with the argument: So if we can duplicate certain activities mechanically, we know that isn't really thinking. But then again, we don't actually know what happens in the brain when we do think. So... isn't is worth our while to keep up experiments? Because once we know what thinking ISN'T, maybe we can learn more about what it IS.

Now, though, if he were still around to see the advances such as Watson, Deep Blue, and some of the automated digital assistants like Cortana and Siri, the old guy would probably have a heart attack. Voice recognition, deciphering speech commands, picking the most likely referent for searches, ... it would have been too much for him.

Then, of course, that scene from "The Imitation Game" where Alan Turing berates a detective on that topic, pointing out that "Of course machines don't think as we do. They are not like us. The real question is whether it correct to say that it isn't thought just because it is different from the way we think."
 
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Rx_

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Taking Stock in yourshelf is a worthy effort. We wish you the best of luck in your new abandonment.

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