Scott Alexander plays chess against GPT-2, an AI language model, and discusses the broader implications of AI's ability to perform diverse tasks without specific training. Longer summary

Scott Alexander describes a chess game he played against GPT-2, an AI language model not designed for chess. Despite neither player performing well, GPT-2 managed to play a decent game without any understanding of chess or spatial concepts. The post then discusses the work of Gwern Branwen and Shawn Presser in training GPT-2 to play chess, showing its ability to learn opening theory and play reasonably well for several moves. Scott reflects on the implications of an AI designed for text prediction being able to perform tasks like writing poetry, composing music, and playing chess without being specifically designed for them. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores theories to reconcile contradictory views on AI progress rates, considering the implications for AI development timelines and intelligence scaling. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the apparent contradiction between Eliezer Yudkowsky's argument that AI progress will be rapid once it reaches human level, and Katja Grace's data showing gradual AI improvement across human-level tasks. He explores several theories to reconcile this, including mutational load, purpose-built hardware, varying sub-abilities, and the possibility that human intelligence variation is actually vast compared to other animals. The post ends by considering implications for AI development timelines and potential rapid scaling of intelligence. Shorter summary

The post reviews Laszlo Polgar's book on raising genius children, discussing his educational philosophy and methods, while noting that his success likely comes from early specialization, focus, and one-on-one instruction. Longer summary

This post reviews Laszlo Polgar's book 'Raise A Genius!', which details his methods for educating children to become geniuses. The author notes that while Polgar doesn't reveal many specific secrets, he emphasizes early specialization, intensive focus on a single subject, and continuous learning. The book discusses Polgar's educational philosophy, including the importance of making learning enjoyable, fostering a sense of accomplishment, and adapting instruction to the child's age and abilities. The review also explores Polgar's views on play, peer interaction, curriculum design, and competition. The author concludes that while Polgar's advice is mostly common sense, his success may be attributed to starting early, focusing on one subject, providing one-on-one instruction, and being a naturally gifted educator. Shorter summary

Scott Alexander explores Laszlo Polgar's successful educational methods that produced chess prodigies, analyzing possible explanations and lamenting the unavailability of Polgar's book on his techniques. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the extraordinary success of Laszlo Polgar's educational methods, which produced three chess prodigy daughters. He examines possible explanations for their success, including genetic factors, practice, and potential unique educational techniques. Scott expresses frustration at being unable to find Polgar's book detailing his methods, and considers the implications of such effective educational techniques. He compares the Polgar sisters' education favorably to typical public schooling, questioning why such potentially revolutionary methods aren't more widely known or implemented. Shorter summary