Sinofsky: mathematicians embraced every computing tool for 200 years — AI backlash breaks tradition
inductionheads · x · 2026-09-12
Responding to the Fields Medalists' declaration warning of misalignment between AI companies and mathematicians, ex-Microsoft exec Steven Sinofsky pushes back: mathematicians originated computing, from Babbage through early programming languages, programmable calculators, PCs and symbolic math AI like MACSYMA, muMath and Mathematica.
He recalls the math library being the only place to borrow programmable calculators on his campus, with math labs adopting PCs and symbolic math before other departments. Today's resistance, he argues, is inconsistent with 200 years of embracing new tools to solve harder problems — worth examining what's really going on.
More from AGI Musings
- Pedro Domingos mocks NYT claim that superintelligence is already here — pmddomingos · 2026-10-28
- What if millions of AIs' combined incentives create irreversible outcomes? — PierceLilholt · 2026-10-28
- Coding matters less than problem-finding: the shift from code engineers to product engineers — CtrlAltDwayne · 2026-10-28
- Rachel Thomas points to classic paper on articulating the value of not building tech — math_rachel · 2026-10-28
- Hypothetical $2T Anthropic IPO framed as channeling $100B+ a year into the real economy — sanjaykalra · 2026-10-28
- Biotech CEO: drug discovery will lag in the AI revolution, not lead it — vaibhavbetter · 2026-10-28