think long term, but driven by quarterly
earnings, students often feel they have
to sacrifice deep learning when exam
pressure hits. But Neil Jacobstein, Co-chair
of the Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
Track at Singularity University, encouraged
them, saying, “Don’t just learn to get good
grades, but to nurture your critical mind.”
Or nurture artificial minds. In his talk
on artificial intelligence, he explained
to students that they wouldn’t just use
their own brains to solve problems, but
the new paradigm would see them use
AI for “pattern recognition techniques
to solve practical business and technical
application problems”.
The power of exponential tech
Amin Toufani, Singularity University Vice
President, Strategic Relations, spoke on the
way exponential technologies are turning
economics upside down. He led with
some things that university students are
interested in: money and tech (Instagram’s
rise and sale for USD1 billion to Facebook
after 18 months), sex and death (the
Ashley Madison data breach and suicide),
and music, satire and finance (the anti-
United Airlines viral musical campaign in
reaction to a broken guitar, which caused
their market capitalisation to drop by
USD150 million). These all show the power
of new technologies to change the world
outside the technology sector.
Students seemed to appreciate the
interaction and inspiration. One high
school student, Liang Hui Lin, from
Hong Kong’s prestigious Diocesan Girls’
School thought the programme gave her
“a new way of thinking” and “inspired the
innovative side of [my] mind”.
Beyond science and engineering, students
were also inspired to consider the values
that they brought when considering how
technology could be used. Participant
Mavis Tan of PolyU got the message and
says she appreciates how Singularity
University “encourages people to think
about our own values in life, and the way
to contribute to the growth of technology
to solve human challenges and to enhance
the quality of human life”.
Another student, Peng Su, a PhD candidate
at The Chinese University of Hong Kong,
knew of the Singularity University and was
excited about going, posting on his blog,
“I have always been curious about
Singularity U, this time I have [the]
opportunity to get to know them. Thanks
[to] the Li Ka Shing Foundation (LKSF) for
support!”
“… an exciting point in
humanity’s development when
the making of a new world will
be possible …”
>>
Sphere
#40
2016
28
EXPONENTIAL UNIVERSE
