Dr John Flackett

We won’t get to AGI by scaling alone. We’ll need new AI algorithms & approaches to make the next big leap in capabilities. In the end, predicting when/if we’ll get to AGI is pretty useless. Why? Because no one really knows. We’re all guessing! 3/3

For the past 30 years I’ve been saying that machines that match human intelligence are between 50-100 years away. Today, I say that timeline is still 50-100 years. Why? Because there’s still so much to figure out. 2/3

For the past 10 years, big tech have been telling everyone that AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) is less than 10 years away. The current popular message is that AGI is less than 10 years away. See the game? 1/3

CONGRATULATIONS to our @drjohnflackett@bsky.social on receiving an Honorary Doctor of Science for his significant contributions to Artificial Intelligence & education, we’re so proud of you!♥️ Your dedication to AI over 30yrs & passion for helping everyone learn about AI is an inspiration.🏆

AiLab Media Release: Dr. John Flackett awarded Honorary Doctor of Science | AiLab Co-founder & Head of AiLab, Dr John Flackett, has been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science by Southampton Solent University in recognition of his outstanding contributions to Artificial Intelligence...

Check out @ailab.world's press release for further details on my Honorary Doctor of Science award & my journey in ArtificiaI Intelligence: www.ailab.world/about/ailab-...

Honoured to receive an Honorary Doctor of Science from
@solentuniversity.bsky.social for my work in Artificial Intelligence & education. From an undergrad, to academic, to PhD in AI, to co-founding @ailab.world; this recognition means the world. Thank you to all who have supported my journey. 😀

Business South AI Breakfast Briefing – What you need to know | Business South

AiLab are excited to partner with Business South & Lester Aldridge for this event tomorrow, where our @drjohnflackett.bsky.social will be giving a briefing on the UK Government's 'AI Opportunities Action Plan' & what it means for businesses. Only few tickets left: businesssouth.org/events/busin...

friends, I am preparing an application for Assistant Professor in Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) position. if you taught any of my papers in class or used my work to support AI policy/regulation, please let me know or direct me to some sources 🙏🏾🙏🏾

Agree 100% with @jeffjarvis.bsky.social

bsky.app/profile/jeff...

Looked like a complete setup. When Zelensky remained calm, JD went nuclear, which in turn allowed Trump to berate Z and lie (no thanks & Kremlin talking points). The Q about Z not wearing a suit (er, Musk and his attire?) allows republicans to scream ‘disrespect’ to cover withdrawal of support.

Album cover of Donald Fagen’s The Nightfly. Man sat behind desk with microphone and turntable

Donald Fagen’s 1982 debut solo album ‘The Nightfly’ is a musical masterpiece 🎵.
I always imagine I’m in a late night, dimly lit whisky bar chilling out to it live 🥃.

I swapped to FastMail last year (great Australian company). Not quite as secure as Proton with its encryption at rest (but obviously much more than GMail) - this does allow you to search for content in emails which you can’t do in Proton. Not a single regret in the move.

It’s clear then - at least to me - that the ‘wide range of tasks’ has to be evaluated against the capabilities of a wide range of human experts. AGI requires learning, reasoning, understanding & adapting as humanS do…we’re not there yet.
We also use computing machinery to minimise mistakes. 4/4

If you think the bar setting is too high because it’s 1 machine vs billions of humans, AI research has always had the lofty goal of matching human intelligence (where AI = AGI) because if achieved we would have a ‘general purpose’ machine capable across a wide range of tasks. 3/4

So when I hear arguments about how mistakes current cutting edge AI systems make are ok because humans also make mistakes (eg illegal chess moves), this doesn’t make sense to me because collective human capabilities excel (eg chess experts make legal moves). 2/4

A really important point about Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is that the benchmark of equivalence to human intelligence, means the cognitive capabilities of a majority of humans not just 1 or a few. Couched in these terms it’s easy to see how far away we still are from achieving it. 1/4

Thank you to Business South for inviting our @drjohnflackett.bsky.social to give a presentation on the UK’s new ‘AI Opportunities Action Plan’ at the People South Action Group last week. John also spoke about AI Skills Development, AI in HR & how AiLab are helping organisations learn about #AI.

Looking forward to 2025 - so many possibilities. Hope everyone has a fantastic year!

Just logged in and my notifications say I’ve reposted ALL of my own posts (which seems to be true). Only problem is I didn’t do it. Anyone else had the same thing happen?

Seems like every time a new OpenAI model is announced (this time o3), there’s a chorus of “AGI is here”, “programmers no longer needed”, etc, etc.

Yes o3 seems impressive, but it’s not been put through its paces in the real-world.

With no underlying understanding, AGI is still a long way away!

Man charged over alleged murder of his mother in Geraldton

The NINETY SECOND woman lost to violence this year in Australia and the 18th Indigenous woman.

#DomesticViolence is a scourge and will continue unless we adress systemic misogyny. 💔💔💔

(🙏 @sherelemoody.bsky.social for keeping the heartbreaking running count)

www.9news.com.au/national/ger...

Mrs Chom's DigiTech Resources Welcome to Mrs Chom's Digital Technologies Resources!

For new followers, I have a website to help teachers new to teaching Digital Technologies in Australia (WA Curric), to help you get started. Some bits haven't been updated in a while, but it'll at least be a start that you can then build on.
#EduSky #CSEducation
sites.google.com/view/mrschom/

I predict the social media ban for U16s in Australia (that was just passed & becomes law in 12 months) will be a total disaster. The backlash once online ID for everyone is poorly rolled out should be enough to sink it. VPNs will bypass guardrails. In the meantime millions of $ wasted! 🤦‍♂️😞

😂🤣

a man talking to a woman with the words but i would be proud to partake written below him Alt: Clip from the film When Harry Met Sally: a man talking to a woman with the words “but i would be proud to partake written of your pecan pie”below him

I can literally only pronounce it the way it’s said in When Harry Met Sally! m.youtube.com/watch?v=Mobh...

Massive thanks to you @emmaberry.bsky.social 👏
@ailab.world wouldn’t be possible without your hard work & leadership. Looking forward to the next 7 years! #AI #education #AIbusiness

Books.

When buying books for gifts this holiday season, please don't buy from Amazon. Please shop at your local independent bookstore/bookseller. Ask for recommendations. If they don't have a particular book in stock, ask them to order it.

Support creatives, local businesses, and your community.

If you make a hybrid event it is essential to make an online chat that links remote and in person attendees. I don't care what tech you use, but make that connection.

We define AGI as:
“Getting a computer to do all the stuff that we humans are really good at!”

I like this because it’s easy to understand & when you think about all the things humans are good at (language, reasoning, planning, identifying, world models, etc) it shows how hard building AGI is

Southampton Science Comedy An evening of science-themed stand-up comedy, stories, and silliness from some of Southampton’s funniest and nerdiest people!

Southampton Science Comedy on Dec 19th with @drjanegregory.bsky.social and Steve Hall. She’s a clinical psychologist with #misophonia who can't stand the sound of eating; he’s a comedian with no table manners. Come and enjoy the science comedy of their marriage! www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/southampto...