Well done, Edem - and thanks, Josh, for the thoughtful contribution to this conversation.
I'm glad to hear the role of academia highlighted. I think we've done our very best work as humans when we've been able to tap into all three arenas: universities, government, and industry. If we can figure out how to use all three effectively and in tandem, we're going to have something unimaginably powerful, and probably closer to unambiguously good than if we just let one stay in the driver's seat for too long.
Academia's role is definitely to explore those outer limits, and that's sensible, but I think back to the last revolution like this- that of the transistor, and how industry became the academic center (I'm talking about Bell Labs specifically here), and how the most powerful minds were actually working on this, there, and not in a university at all.
You’re right bro, I guess I was slightly vague but when I stated academia, I was actually talking about it not as institution (university) but as a system.
Bell labs worked because it merged the best parts of industry and academia - the speed and intentional nature of industry and the freedom, collaboration ,and check balancing nature of Academia.
That’s why I drew parallels with Deep Mind, I think that’s the best example of a company working like that, right now.
Well done! I figure if anyone can blend these two areas, it's an entity like Google. They're far better positioned to cultivate knowledge and push boundaries from an academic sense than any of the other big tech companies.
Well done, Edem - and thanks, Josh, for the thoughtful contribution to this conversation.
I'm glad to hear the role of academia highlighted. I think we've done our very best work as humans when we've been able to tap into all three arenas: universities, government, and industry. If we can figure out how to use all three effectively and in tandem, we're going to have something unimaginably powerful, and probably closer to unambiguously good than if we just let one stay in the driver's seat for too long.
Academia's role is definitely to explore those outer limits, and that's sensible, but I think back to the last revolution like this- that of the transistor, and how industry became the academic center (I'm talking about Bell Labs specifically here), and how the most powerful minds were actually working on this, there, and not in a university at all.
Thanks man! I really appreciate the positive.
You’re right bro, I guess I was slightly vague but when I stated academia, I was actually talking about it not as institution (university) but as a system.
Bell labs worked because it merged the best parts of industry and academia - the speed and intentional nature of industry and the freedom, collaboration ,and check balancing nature of Academia.
That’s why I drew parallels with Deep Mind, I think that’s the best example of a company working like that, right now.
Well done! I figure if anyone can blend these two areas, it's an entity like Google. They're far better positioned to cultivate knowledge and push boundaries from an academic sense than any of the other big tech companies.
Thanks Edem, glad you found the piece helpful!
More of inspiring Josh!
I’ve asked myself this for a while and reading your piece was a stimulus of sorts.