Why were Geoffrey Hinton and John H. Field (Computing Science Researchers) awarded a Nobel Prize in physics ?

Probably the simplest answer is that AI has a huge hype train rolling along, with upwards of a trillion dollars having been invested in the technology. Investors are beginning to have serious doubts about when and if the technology will ever pay off, in terms of doing useful things cheaper than can be done with current methods and technology.

A Nobel Prize is a high status award, which is great PR for whatever research project is under consideration, especially one that requires huge infusions of cash. There is no Nobel Prize for Computing Science; physics seems to be the category that comes closest (think of all the physics grads that work in AI and data science in general). The Nobel Prize in physics therefore gives reassurance to all those investors that AI is the real thing, and is is worth continuing to pour money into it. It also gives reassurance to all those students, to keep enrolling in the field (and the professors).

Does the Nobel Committee actually think this way? Maybe not, at least overtly. But they care about maintaining the Nobel Prize as something that the population in general cares about and hears a lot about (AI is always in the news). So, it makes sense for them to take a seat on they hype train too.

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Note: This was originally a Quora post, but it did pretty well, so I thought I should make a blog of it.

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I am presently working on a novel where AI plays a major role (about 80% finished). This short story is now the first chapter of that book. Just a FYI.

The Magnetic Anomaly: A Science Fiction Story

“A geophysical crew went into the Canadian north. There were some regrettable accidents among a few ex-military who had become geophysical contractors after their service in the forces. A young man and young woman went temporarily mad from the stress of seeing that. They imagined things, terrible things. But both are known to have vivid imaginations; we have childhood records to verify that. It was all very sad. That’s the official story.”

You can purchase it for all of 99 cents. Alternatively, keep your eyes open for a free
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Amazon:

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