7 Classic Books To Deepen Your Understanding of (Artificial) Intelligence | AI - Forbes

Rob Toews, writes about the big picture of artificial intelligence says, These books are essential reading for anyone seeking to develop a deep understanding of AI's complexities, challenges and possibilities.

M.C. Escher's artwork was an inspiration for Douglas Hofstadter's 1979 book "Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid", sometimes referred to as the Bible of artificial intelligence.

The field of artificial intelligence has never been the subject of more attention and analysis than it is today. Almost every week, it seems, a new bestselling book comes out examining the technology, business or ethics of AI.

Yet few of the topics and debates at the center of today's AI discourse are new. While not always recognized by commentators, artificial intelligence as a serious academic discipline dates back to the 1950s. For well over half a century, many of the world's leading minds have devoted themselves to the pursuit of machine intelligence and have grappled with what it would mean to succeed in that pursuit...

Below is a selection of seven classic books about intelligence: what it is, how we might build machines that have it, and what that would mean for society. These books have played a formative role in the development of the field of AI; their influence continues to be felt today. For anyone seeking a deep understanding of AI's complexities, challenges, and possibilities, they are essential reading.
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Source: Forbes

Revisiting the rise of A.I.: How far has artificial intelligence come since 2010? | Emerging Tech - Digital Trends

Luke Dormehl, UK-based tech writer covering Cool Tech at Digital Trends reports, 2010 doesn’t seem all that long ago. 

Photo: JumpStory

Facebook was already a giant, time-consuming leviathan; smartphones and the iPad were a daily part of people’s lives; The Walking Dead was a big hit on televisions across America; and the most talked-about popular musical artists were the likes of Taylor Swift and Justin Bieber. So pretty much like life as we enter 2020, then? Perhaps in some ways.

One place that things most definitely have moved on in leaps and bounds, however, is on the artificial intelligence front. Over the past decade, A.I. has made some huge advances, both technically and in the public consciousness, that mark this out as one of the most important ten year stretches in the field’s history. What have been the biggest advances? Funny you should ask; I’ve just written a list on exactly that topic...

Of all the tech giant, Amazon has arguably done the most to advance the A.I. assistant in the years since. Its Alexa-powered Echo speakers have not only shown the potential of these A.I. assistants; they’ve demonstrated that they’re compelling enough to exist as standalone pieces of hardware. Today, voice-based assistants are so commonplace they barely even register. Ten years ago most people had never used one...

Cars that drive themselves 
In the first years of the twenty-first century, the idea of an autonomous car seemed like it would never move beyond science fiction. In MIT and Harvard economists Frank Levy and Richard Murnane’s 2004 book The New Division of Labor, driving a vehicle was described as a task too complex for machines to carry out. “Executing a left turn against oncoming traffic involves so many factors that it is hard to imagine discovering the set of rules that can replicate a driver’s behavior,” they wrote.
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Source: Digital Trends

Scholarships help build an exceptional student body | Around Campus - MIT News

An MIT scholarship let senior Emily Soice pursue her passions in civil and environmental engineering (opens in new window) and music (opens in new window), and seek solutions for a pressing global challenge, sustainable agriculture. “Without a scholarship, I wouldn’t be here,” she says.  

An MIT scholarship let senior Emily Soice pursue her passions in civil and environmental engineering and music: “Without a scholarship, I wouldn’t be here,” she says.
Photo: Bearwalk Cinema

Senior Emily Soice, a talented violinist, has thrived at MIT, pursuing a dual major in civil and environmental engineering and music. “MIT has an amazing music program,” she says. “You really get a rigorous conservatory experience here.” A member of two performance ensembles, she enjoys connecting with others on campus through their shared love of music. 

In her engineering studies, Soice is focused on the issue of sustainable agriculture. “The wealth of research opportunities at MIT is astounding,” she says. “I’m able to contribute to that research during my undergraduate years.”

A scholarship to MIT made it possible for Soice to pursue her passions and seek out solutions to pressing global challenges. “When I got into MIT,” she recalls, “my family had been unemployed for more than a year. It wouldn’t have been possible for me to go to MIT if I didn’t have a scholarship.”...

Scholarships at MIT: Emily Soice '20 Merges Music and Science 


“There is so much open to you once you get into MIT,” says Soice. “It’s an amazing place to explore, and having a scholarship has allowed me to explore so much.” After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school, then work for a nonprofit focused on solving problems in agriculture or food systems. 
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Source: MIT News and MIT Better World Channel (YouTube)

Thomas Jefferson students to get a lesson in musical sound | Local - TribLIVE

Thomas Jefferson High School students will be recording beats in a professional sound studio built by their peers within the next year, continues TribLIVE.

Photo: TribLIVE

It will be a place where students can learn the ins and outs of the sound industry, from microphone placement to instrument isolation and how to bring it all together. Students — and even the community — will have the chance to record their tunes on professional-grade equipment, while learning all about the technology that goes into making the music.

“My vision is for kids to come in and foster the creative process with sound,” said Kirk Salopek, a lifelong musician who has played professionally for more than a decade and serves as TJ’s art department coordinator.

When plans for the new $95 million TJ were underway, Salopek — who sees music as a way to create — pitched the idea for a sound studio with music technology classes to be added to the school. He’s always looking for ways to provide students with new career options when they leave high school...

Over the next several months, Gruntz is planning for students in his technology classes to work during personalized learning time on the construction of the isolation room that will sit in the center of the sound studio.

“Anytime a student gets the opportunity to participate in a project like this, they are able to apply what they have learned,” he said. “It’s the perfect test without pencils or multiple choice. Projects like this give students valuable real-world experience. The students work together, show leadership skills and complete a project where failure is not acceptable because it will be used for years to come.”
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Source: TribLIVE

Learn Classical Music To Preserve It, Not Just For the Stage: Amjad Ali Khan | Music - Entrepreneur

Music is an art form that arguably leaps past most others by Saurabh Kumar, Entrepreneur Staff.

Amjad Ali Khan performing with his sons Amaan and Ayaan

There’d probably be a select few in millions who wouldn’t like the sound of good music. And the ratio probably remains the same when it comes to those who can produce music that manages to engulf generations. Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan has and continues to enthral and entice people across age and geographies.

But at a time when showcasing work using new-age tech tools and getting noticed has become much easier for aspiring artists, the maestro has a few words of caution to offer. “Young artists today are too keen to perform, and this is dangerous. Reality shows are good, but what happens to the winners? Where do they go?”

The Grammy award nominee believes very few today are willing to spend time to understand the nuances of an art form. “Everyone is too eager to perform on the stage. There are many untrained artists performing, and that is a disservice to the art,” he said.

He spoke to Entrepreneur India a day before he—along with his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash—was slated to perform at Carnegie Hall as part of HCL Concerts in New York earlier this month...

However, plagiarism is a problem. “One can be a disciple of any musician, but if you are using someone’s technique or style of music, it should be acknowledged. Unfortunately, that is not happening. With YouTube close-ups available, people learn the techniques from famous classical players and not acknowledge them. That is stealing. I think that with online fame available easily, musicians have become delusional. Instagram and Facebook makes one believe what is not true,” said Amaan.
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Source: Entrepreneur

Spokane Harp Circle members play and learn together; some provide music therapy | Spokane - The Spokesman-Review

Every month a group of harpists gathers in a north Spokane church to play together, mentor each other and learn new techniques, as Nina Culver, freelancer for The Spokesman-Review reports.

Harpists LuRicka Kougl, left, and Barbara Heckenlively, members of the Spokane Harp Circle, play the harp at Trinity Baptist Church.
Photo: Nina Culver / The Spokesman-R

Though it’s called the Spokane Harp Circle, members come from all over, including in Colville and Coeur d’Alene.

The group was launched about 15 years ago by harp performer and teacher Nancy Davis. Harpist LuRicka Kougl joined the group in 2009 and hosted the monthly gatherings in her home for a few years. “I had to move furniture to accommodate 13 harps,” she said. “You share with each other musical experiences and learn to play in a group.”

The group plays together for the first hour or so, then works on new techniques during the second hour, said member Barbara Heckenlively. “It’s a mentoring type experience,” she said. “The beginners are included and we all play together.”

Members also can perform solo at the gatherings. It’s a good way to get used to performing, Heckenlively said. “You want to get these experiences as you learn because it builds your confidence,” she said. “Most of performance is courage. You have to have courage.”

The group is led by professional harpist Kim Davidson...

It’s possible for a listener to be so in tune with the music that their heart rate slows to match the tempo. Kougl said it’s something she and her fellow harpists have to be aware of as they play, particularly when they play for the sick or the elderly. “It does have a physical effect,” she said.
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Source: The Spokesman-Review

Why PhDs are Assets for an Organization, Not a Liability? | Education - ChartAttack

What is a PhD Degree?, inform Marela Bush, Author at Chart Attack.
 

Photo: discover.rbcroyalbank.com

A PhD or Doctorate of Philosophy is a postgraduate degree awarded to a student who has accomplished the highest level of university education by completing a thesis or dissertation based on original research. Doctoral programs are offered globally in a diverse array of 100+ subjects ranging from mathematics to education.

This research-based program not only improves your understanding of the subject area but also contributes wholly to your field of study. It opens doors and expands the horizon for further academic research leading to creative innovation...

With an increasing shift towards knowledge-based economies, the power of skilled workers is becoming more and more transformational. In this technology-driven age, a lot of emphasis is placed on the non-finite intellectual capital resources that allow information to be passed on boundlessly. In this time and space, PhDs, the people owning the highest level of education in any discipline, are extremely valuable and indispensable assets for any organization.

Doctorate holders not only drive business value by making data-driven decisions themselves but also help their companies grow by participating in knowledge-spillover activities. They possess the ability to disseminate their knowledge to other employees by conducting training sessions, workshops, and seminars.
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Source: ChartAttack 

Future-proof your career with a PhD in computer science from UT Dallas | Computer science - Study International News

Computer science experts are in high demand as technologies advance at breakneck speed by UTDallas – Department of Computer Science.
 

Photo: University of Texas at Dallas – Department of Computer Science

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the employment of computer and information technology occupations to grow 12 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations. Experts also believe demand for educators in the field will 
also increase, calling for more PhD holders in computer science and software engineering.

It’s no secret that computer science and software engineering PhD holders today are enjoying greater employment prospects. Opportunities are ample, ranging from working in research and product development divisions of companies such as Google, Microsoft, Apple, Facebook and Amazon, to becoming a faculty member at a University, to working for or creating your own technology startup. Higher-level positions at companies are also becoming more accessible to computer science and software engineering PhD graduates too, as it is common for employers to reserve their top-ranking positions for doctoral degree holders.

How can Bachelor and Master graduates in computer science, software engineering, and related fields capitalize on these opportunities?...

Producing highly accomplished computer science PhD graduates 
UT Dallas graduates are known for their high placement rates. Many of their computer science and software engineering PhD graduates have gone on to find jobs in top-tier universities, research facilities, government agencies and prestigious companies, such as Adobe, Amazon, Apple, Cisco, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Bank of America, among others.

One such graduate is Dr. Ashkan Yousefpour, who currently is a Visiting Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, working in the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research (BAIR) Lab. In 2020, he will join Facebook as a Research Scientist in Menlo Park, California.
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Source: Study International News

The Student Experiment in Organising Education on Democratic Line | Science - The Wire

Follow on Twitter as @notrueindian

Thomas Manuel, Writer and media worker summarizes, Like so many flashes of inspiration, this too struck at a bar.

A lecture hall in IISER Bhopal.
Photo: IISER Bhopal

After a long day of edification at the Indian Strings Meeting in 2016, a group of young scholars wandered out through the rear gate of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune, and went for a drink.

As they sat down, in the cold Pune air, amidst muffled music and cigarette smoke, the conversation drifted to all the usual topics – the weather, the news, the Modave school in Belgium. For those who don’t keep up with summer schools in theoretical physics, the Modave school is a yearly event where PhD students and postdoctoral researchers live together in a picturesque village and educate each other about relevant areas in their field...

Somewhere in the ethos of the PhD is the purpose of helping students transition to being scientists. According to these scholars, that isn’t happening. Paradoxically, it seems that some parts of the current system renders them more dependent on their advisors instead of enabling them to pursue independent scholarship. This isn’t easily fixable: the nature of power in academia is a complicated tangle of thread, and unraveling one soon requires you to take a scissor to the whole thing.

Like light, PhD students are a duality: exhibiting the properties of both student and researcher. This makes them a challenging subject. But unlike light, we can always just ask PhD students what they think about all this. Under the right circumstances, they might just tell us.
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Source: The Wire

IIT PhD Admission 2020: Applications Invited for PhD in IIT Mandi’s School of Computing and Electrical Engineering | DATAQUEST

IIT Mandi has invited online applications for IIT PhD Admission 2020 from meritorious students for PhD in its School of Computing and Electrical Engineering by DQINDIA Online.

Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi) has invited online applications for IIT PhD Admission 2020 from ‘bright and dedicated young scholars’ interested in joining the part-time PhD under Visvesvaraya PhD scheme in the School of Computing and Electrical Engineering (SCEE). Candidates with an excellent academic record in Masters or Bachelors can be considered for the PhD.

The doctor of philosophy can be attained in the streams of Computer Science, Control Systems, Power Electronics and Drives, Power Systems, Signal Processing and Communication, and Very-large-scale integration (VLSI)...

Who Can Apply for IIT PhD Admission 2020 at Indian Institute of Technology Mandi? Candidates with the following educational qualifications can apply for the PhD in IIT Mandi:

1. Candidates with a Master’s degree in Engineering or Technology, or a Master’s degree by Research in Engineering or Technology disciplines with a good academic record.
2. Candidates with a Master’s degree in Sciences with a good academic record and a valid GATE score or UGC/CSIR-JRF/ NBHM or equivalent qualification.
3. Candidates who have qualified for the award of Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Technology with an excellent academic record may also be considered provided they satisfy certain conditions such as if they have a BTech degree from one of the IITs, with a minimum CGPA of 8.0 on a 10.0 point scale.

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Source: DATAQUEST