Stevens Institute of Technology’s Post

A brief history of the future Several years ago, at a demo day at Silicon Valley’s Computer History Museum, I came face to face with the history of the future. At the time, I was a venture capitalist on the hunt for the next big thing. During a break from startup pitches from the best and brightest entrepreneurs, I wandered among the museum exhibits, where I stumbled upon a modern recreation of the first computer, designed in the 1840s by English polymath Charles Babbage. I was fascinated to read about Babbage’s Victorian-era designs, particularly his analytical engine, a mechanical general-purpose computer that he worked on with fellow mathematician Ada Lovelace. The analytical engine shared many features with modern digital computers, including three key components: the reader, the mill, and the store. The reader took in punch cards, permitting user interaction with the machine. The store held information—numbers and interim results—until they could be acted upon by the mill, which performed mathematical computations. Babbage couldn’t have known then that these three fundamental functions would still exist today, serving as the enduring foundation of modern #computing. In fact, as we demonstrated in a joint research report with the World Economic Forum, the entire history of #IT has been a steady evolution of these same three eternities: interaction, information, and computation. In turn, it stands to reason that the future of IT will continue to march along these same three tracks toward specific, convergent endgames: simplicity, intelligence, and abundance. Source: Deloitte #itcomiimbg

Wrote a short piece reflecting on the Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University's 25th anniversary, my 4th year as an Affiliate there & the role of academic scholarship in tech. Full piece on the koodos labs blog (https://lnkd.in/edUq3Bzq). Some things I write about: 1. Two main voices in spaces occupied by scholar-types: critics & analysts. Critics spotlight systemic flaws: capturing public opinion and foreshadowing regulatory shifts. Analysts predict future trends. Exposure to both is helpful when building future-oriented technology. 2. When running against the clock as a builder, it's common to retrofit solutions based on what you already know. There's often no time to "think"...exposure to scholarship is helpful for times like these. 3. "Pragmatic Idealism", BKC Fellow Jacinda Ardern's philosophy of choice, and the viewpoint that technology amplifies society's ills; it doesn’t create them. Although not an excuse for founders not to consider societal impact alongside maximizing financial returns.

This is a fascinating take on an important set of questions. How do we keep public problems in focus and academic institutions staffed if the best talent is leaving academia for big tech firms?

Dr. Neil Thompson, a Research Scientist at MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and Director of the MIT FutureTech Research Project, holds a unique blend of computer science, economics, and business policy expertise. His work scrutinizes the changing landscape of computer progress, particularly in the post-Moore's Law era. Dr. Thompson's work emphasizes the need to explore alternative paths for advancement beyond relying solely on faster chips, highlighting potential areas such as software optimization, innovative algorithms, and hardware architecture. Read more about Dr. Thompson and his research: https://bit.ly/4awp0at

We’re beyond excited to be a key part of this amazing new initiative announced today by Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin. Faculty in the College of Letters & Science are already front and center on each of the challenges the Chancellor cited in her remarks — artificial intelligence, sustainability and entrepreneurship — and we’re looking forward to advancing research and leading the discussion on each of them in the coming years. AI is the first target of the Wisconsin RISE Initiative, and we’re in a strong position to tackle it. "We already know that AI is and will be accelerating discovery in fields such as physics and atmospheric science,” says Eric Wilcots, Dean of the College of Letters & Science. “Because AI is becoming so pervasive in all aspects of our lives, it is inseparable from the social sciences and humanities; it is critical that we engage these disciplines in this work, particularly in thinking about the safe and ethical use of AI." #wisconsinRISE #artificialintelligence #sustainability #entrepreneurship #WeAreLS

In our recent research with professional software developers -- one of the groups most highly engaged in AI-assisted work already, with years of large-scale automation tooling already in place -- we found emerging gender differences on AI usage in software. It is startling to see predictive group differences even for jobs that are so highly selected to be technical, successful, and have already overcome large equity barriers. Women on software teams were equally likely as other groups to say their *teams* were using AI tooling, but *less likely* to say they themselves were planning to upskill in AI-assisted coding (what we call planned behavioral action in social science). There is of course nuance to this. I'm not on the AI hype train and I don't think every potential use of AI-assisted coding is good, but it's clearly important, powerful, and integrated into software work. An emerging gender difference like this is a very troubling signal for a potential equity gap later. As I wrote in our report: "[these] differences in behavioral action may reflect a difference in situational power or resources–it is possible that these developers may feel less able to spend time in learning practices. It is also possible that this once again reflects an overall disempowerment that discourages investment in AI topics in general, as AI itself is a field which has rapidly developed a pervasive Contest Culture and maintains significant gender gaps in participation." For a future of inclusive computing for both those building the tools *and the tools themselves*, we need to start paying attention to this now. (full paper with further group differences we see emerging here: https://lnkd.in/gS57FVhX)

After a year of unwavering dedication, tireless research, and hard work, we are thrilled to present to you our published paper on "Text Emotion Detection using Machine Learning Algorithms". Our journey began when we were second-year engineering students, armed with only a modest understanding of the vast multiverse of machine learning. This venture has been nothing short of a thrilling rollercoaster ride. We embarked on this project by implementing rudimentary algorithms and gradually delved deeper into the intricate world of machine learning. With each passing day, we expanded our repertoire of algorithms, honed our skills, and developed a keen understanding of the nuances of accuracy in the field. Countless hours were spent reading research papers, writing code, and conducting extensive research, all in pursuit of one goal: to achieve the highest level of accuracy possible. Immensely grateful to my incredible team members, Manasi Sharma and Anushka Shirode. Their dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment have played an indispensable role in our success. It is a profound honor to publish this paper as a second-year student. This achievement would not have been possible without the support of the Department of Computer Engineering. We thank the department for providing us with the resources and opportunities to pursue our research goals. Last but not least, we express our deepest gratitude to Prof. Sanjay Mirchandani for his invaluable guidance and mentorship. His wisdom and expertise have shaped our research and guided us toward excellence. In conclusion, our journey from novice engineers to published researchers has been a remarkable one, and we are immensely proud of the 89% accuracy we have achieved. This paper is a testament to our dedication, passion, and the incredible support system that has propelled us forward. We look forward to continuing our exploration of the exciting world of machine learning and contributing further to the field. Link= https://lnkd.in/dU6Y3W_7 ISBN Information: Electronic ISBN:979-8-3503-9663-8 DVD ISBN:979-8-3503-9662-1 Print on Demand(PoD) ISBN:979-8-3503-9664-5

The U.S. is currently facing a major disparity in computer science education for future generations. So, who is working to bridge that gap? : To begin moving the needle for students and educators, we must look to disruptors within the industry. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with Shaina Glass, Director of Education at Computer Science Teachers Association, to discuss their impact in the space, partnering with purpose minded companies like SAP, with the goal of building more equitable opportunities for the next generation.  : Check out the article below to learn more! : #computerscience #buildingfutureskills #education #equity

The one thing we can count on in life is change. This is extremely relevant when considering technology and higher ed. Read more to gain insight into how Technology at Arizona State University is responding to this dynamic environment.

𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟. 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐃𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚 𝐞𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝟏𝟔𝟎+ 𝐚𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 The 10th 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 titled “𝐀𝐧 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬”, delivered by Prof. Jack Dongarra, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏 𝐀. 𝐌. 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐋𝐚𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐞 and University Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, University of Tennessee, USA, on 6 December 2023 achieved massive success! The hybrid lecture attracted over 160 participants joining in person and online from more than 50 countries and regions in Australia, Asia, Europe and North America. It was also broadcast live on multiple social media platforms and viewed by an online audience of over 12,000 in total. The lecture commenced with a warm welcome address by Prof. Qingyan Chen, Director of PAIR, and a brief speaker introduction by Prof. Jiannong Cao, Dean of Graduate School, setting the stage for Prof. Dongarra’s inspiring presentation. In his sharing, Prof. Dongarra highlighted how #computing pervades all aspects of the society and #cloud vendors are pursuing breakthroughs in #computer architectures such as #processors, accelerators, interconnects and operating systems, with a view to achieving #highperformancecomputing. He mentioned how countries worldwide are in a race to build top exascale #supercomputers. Prof. Dongarra also pointed out that the emergence of #artificialintelligence and #machinelearning demands advancements in #software and #hardware. To conclude the lecture, he emphasised that the hardware for high performance computing is constantly evolving, and a new generation of software libraries and #algorithms is needed for effective and reliable dynamic, distributed, and parallel computing. A question-and-answer session moderated by Prof. Cao was followed. The audience and Prof. Dongarra had a thought-provoking and fruitful discussion, exchanging views on issues in computing development. Online review: https://polyu.hk/herOI #PolyU #PAIR #AI