Demystifying Singularities in ML Metrics: Infinite Horizon ≠ Infinite Work
tobyordoxford · x · 2026-08-28
Addressing 'singularities' in ML metrics (e.g., the METR horizon), the author clarifies that reaching an infinite horizon in finite time does not imply completing infinite work. It means that in a future year, one could start arbitrarily long tasks of a certain kind that would eventually succeed given enough time. This reveals limitations in the metric rather than magical AI capabilities.
Related event: Debate over METR time horizon hitting infinity and what it really means(4 posts)→
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