AI Superpowers by Kai-Fu Lee

Deep learning will eliminate many jobs that were once considered safe from automation. White collar, blue collar… every profession will feel the impact before the year 2039.

Machines powered by artificial intelligence have excelled at games for decades. IBM’s Deep Blue defeated chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1996. Alphabet’s AlphaGo defeated world champion Go player, Ke Jie, in 2017.

Game-focused AI is highly specialized and mostly ineffective in in other areas. What about general purpose AI, software that can mimic human intelligence and make human-like decisions? What about applications beyond games?

Dr. Kai-Fu Lee examines these questions in his book, AI Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order. Lee draws on his background as a pioneering AI researcher and successful entrepreneur to explain why certain subsets of AI produce results, and how readers of the book might benefit.

Quantum Computing at Caltech

If you think you understand quantum mechanics, then you don’t understand quantum mechanics.

~Prof Richard Feynman, Caltech

The Caltech Entrepreneurs Forum offers a blend of tech + business on Saturday mornings, roughly once per month. The February 2019 session featured quantum computing enthusiasts from a variety of disciplines:

• Quantum Physicist: Prof Maria Spiropulu of Caltech
• Corporate Research Scientist: Joe Latone of IBM
• Venture Capitalist: Yipeng Zhao of Embark Ventures
• Entrepreneur: Alireza Shabani of Qulab
• M&A Specialist: Andy Tomat of Four Pillars

Purpose of the gathering: To wrestle with questions in the field of quantum computing.

MacBooks, Lasers, Art, & Science

Nerdy tattoos. That’s how one person described the laser-engraved symbols on my MacBook. Stickers are fine, but sometimes you want to try something new. Besides, lasers are cool!

If you would like to laser-engrave your laptop, here’s a procedure that works. There’s also a brief description for each of the symbols engraved on this particular MacBook.

Quick Win With Raspberry Pi Model 3

When we experiment with something new, it can be encouraging to achieve a quick win early in the process. Achieving a quick win can give us that jolt of energy we need to break through the inevitable roadblocks.

This post is designed to give you a quick win with the Raspberry Pi Model 3. Points covered:

• How to download and install an operating system for your Raspberry Pi.
• Using SSH to control your Pi from a laptop, so you won’t need an external monitor.
• Using virtual network computing (VNC) to control your Pi’s GUI without attaching a monitor.

Mob Programming + Fullstack Open Source at 8th Light

With enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.
~Linus Torvalds

Developers who are hungry for knowledge will enjoy these two upcoming events:

• Tue, 2/20/2018: Mob Programming, with Woody Zuill
• Wed, 2/21/2018: Fullstack Open Source

Both events will be held at the 8th Light office in downtown Los Angeles. The Mob Programming event will be filmed and refreshments will be served. Video footage may be used on cleancoders.com or in any of Woody Zull’s training material. By participating, you are consenting to the use of the footage in that context.