Greetings to my loyal and lovely readers and welcome to 2025.
Spotted this the other day. The article goes on to say that Jung said that the way in which a society talks about UFOs (and I might add to this sci-fi generally)` provides insights into our deepest fantasies. On a related note, here’s a preduction. The further we erect monuments to technology and workship at the alter of AI, the more we will believe in illogical, mystical and spiritual forces. There is an emerging desire for magic in the age of math.
A chart showing the development of computing at Cambridge, along with images showing the development of the chart itself.
AI @ Cambridge
Computing @ Cambridge
The evolution of computer science and AI within the Cambridge Ecosystem.
This chart shows a snapshot of firms associated with the computing phenomenon at Cambridge, along with a small selection of academics pushing the field forwards.
These are both bookended by a selection of other pioneering thinkers and companies worldwide. As for the future, below is a modest list of present, probable and possible applications of AI technologies. This is intended to be illustrative (and speculative) rather than definitive (or exhaustive).
Present applications
Spell checking
Spam filtering
Fraud detection
Interactive maps
Movie recommendations
Web searching
Image recognition
Voice recognition
Online shopping
Personalised advertising
Self-driving cars
Face recognition
Automated recruitment
Language translation
Digital assistants
Precision farming
Probable applications
Brain-computer interfaces
Lifelong avatar assistants
Decoding of human intent
Lip reading CCTV
AI board members
Real-time crime prediction
Computers with feelings
Self-writing software
Autonomous robotic surgery
Smart energy grids & appliances
Drone to drone combat
Modelling of crowd behaviour
National mood prediction
Longevity forecasting at birth
Detection of algorithmic biases
Amplification of IQ
Design of ‘impossible’ buildings
Acceleration of drug discovery
Personalised medicine
Volcano modelling
Possible applications
Inner speech recording
Artificial curiosity
Artificial creativity
Dream recording
Amplification of EQ
Automated insights
Decision-making apps
Software that rusts
Foreign policy algorithms
Dynamic allocation of tax revenues
Crisis forecasting
Fake memory implants
Earthquake prediction
Dispute resolution algorithms
Whole planet simulation
AI to AI negotiation
Animal communication
Reanimation of the deceased
VR games based on known fears
Pilotless commercial aircraft
Fully immersive virtual realities
“One day ladies will take their computers for walks in the park and tell each other, “My little computer said such a funny thing this morning”. ~ Alan Turing
A history of computing and artificial intelligence on a single sheet of paper was always a little bit ambitious. Perhaps a little foolish too. Anyway, I’d like to think of this as the equivalent of Joe Cocker singing With a Little Help from My Friends at Woodstock in 1969 – an exhausting yet transcendent moment where mind and body meld together and time stands still. In reality it ended up taking me over and has become a bit of fragmented failure, although maybe one should think of it in quantum terms – simultaneously good and bad, its fate being linked to random events that may or may not occur.
Regardless, it’s been more fun to do than an adult colouring-in book. I did learn quite a bit doing it too (e.g. Nolan Bushnell saying “no” to the offer of 1/3 of Apple Computer for $50,000). It has perhaps laid some foundations to ‘map’ the future of artificial intelligence too. Make what you like of it. If you want to print this ask me for a higher resolution file (which I’ll happily supply for free) or I might print a few large copies myself, so do ask if you want one (smalll charge to cover printing and postage).
