I think this is the crux of the issue. People like Chomsky argue the same way, that is, sure a statistical model can mimic a phenomenon to an increasingly likely degree, but the question he concerns himself with is "how and why it [language] works that way", not that I can somehow approach it. His example scenario of a filming bees and statistically re-engineer their dance is poignant: sure you get impressive results, but you will never understand why they dance!
Once this is clear, the discussion becomes healthier: linguists continue to try and understand fundamentals; ML NLP continues to try to get impressive, possibly lucrative results. Logical research can borrow from ML results, or re-use them, and so forth, but I agree with Chomsky that it can't be a shot in the dark always, because once you deploy it and pass it some tough decisions to make, well, what then?
I was pleased to see at least one idea, the recursive structures found in his theories, which is increasingly being accepted by people like Hinton, so that's great.
You can't understand why without considering the environment, the problem is that it's too expensive to train AI agents in reality and simulated environments are too simplistic.
But if such a simulated environment is available, agents can learn general skills.
> Deep mind: Generally capable agents emerge from open-ended play
You can't understand why without considering the environment, the problem is that it's too expensive to train AI agents in reality and simulated environments are too simplistic.
But if such a simulated environment is available, agents can learn general skills.
> Deep mind: Generally capable agents emerge from open-ended play
Once this is clear, the discussion becomes healthier: linguists continue to try and understand fundamentals; ML NLP continues to try to get impressive, possibly lucrative results. Logical research can borrow from ML results, or re-use them, and so forth, but I agree with Chomsky that it can't be a shot in the dark always, because once you deploy it and pass it some tough decisions to make, well, what then?
I was pleased to see at least one idea, the recursive structures found in his theories, which is increasingly being accepted by people like Hinton, so that's great.