Daniel Kokotajlo's Shortform

Daniel Kokotajlo

This is a special post for quick takes by Daniel Kokotajlo. Only they can create top-level comments. Comments here also appear on the Quick Takes page and All Posts page.

Technologies I take for granted now but remember thinking were exciting and cool when they came out

Smart phones
Google Maps / Google Earth
Video calls
Facebook
DeepDream (whoa! This is like drug hallucinations... I wonder if they share a similar underlying mechanism? This is evidence that ANNs are more similar to brains than I thought!)
AlphaGo
AlphaStar (Whoa! AI can handle hidden information!)
OpenAI Five (Whoa! AI can work on a team!)
GPT-2 (Whoa! AI can write coherent, stylistically appropriate sentences about novel topics like unicorns in the andes!)
GPT-3

I'm sure there are a bunch more I'm missing, please comment and add some!

4Gordon Seidoh Worley5y

Some of my own: * SSDs * laptops * CDs * digital cameras * modems * genome sequencing * automatic transmissions for cars that perform better than a moderately skilled human using a manual transmission can * cheap shipping * solar panels with reasonable power generation * breathable wrinkle free fabrics that you can put in the washing machine * bamboo textiles * good virtual keyboards for phones * scissor switches * USB * GPS

Oh yeah, cheap shipping! I grew up in a military family, all around the world, and I remember thinking it was so cool that my parents could go on "ebay" and order things and then they would be shipped to us! And then now look where we are -- groceries delivered in ten minutes! Almost everything I buy, I buy online!