Meanwhile: To all the humans still out there "Hi, I hope you are well!"
Other AI YouTube Memes:
A self confessed nerdy AI enthusiast (saying which, I have a lot of empathy and respect for) who I would call at teh top of his games was at the leading edge, being completely honest about the hype and dangers of AI. Also being very honest about how little we know about their workings. Computer Science knowledge of ANN makes Physicists look good (as they guess about Dark Matter and Dark Energy).
And then there is the Russian way ...
Nasty if they fall on you!
Last post was only 56 hits after the first 24 hours. Which I think are probably real people! Compared to the thousands previous .. what has changed? Ask the Bots!
Would non-human readers please go away! (see below, there is such a strange spike in things reading my blog, that I don't believe are human - but at best can described as automated screen scrapers):
They would not be doing it if there was not money in it for them at the end of the road!
What do they think they are learning?
I think that there is a real danger that they are learning pt collating is tantamount to pure "JUNK" - unreviewed postings across the wide blog-sphere, where people could be "legitimately" (as why not) saying anything they want to. If enough people say Pi is a rational number - it does not make it a rational number.
Hello .. this is interesting .. I have not posted in a while, but the last two of my post were "read" in the mid-hundreds? When I was posting regularly I got less than that (under a hundred reads within the few days of posting) - I thought I had maybe 50 readers from my couple of hundred subscribers. So I am thinking these reads are probably AI Bot Crawlers surfing the Internet and Blog-Sphere, scooping up everything and everything for Gen AI Chatbot Models!
Thoughts anyone?
Thanks for the comments (see in comments tab) I am in agreement with everybody here. The Bots are doing it. Interestingly this post only generated a quarter of the hits the one either side did. Perhaps it was because of the lack of images or are the AI Bots "dissing me"?
And what is the discussion at work this morning: AI Bot Driven Web Crawler activity! It sucks! Two webinars already on the subject. I think you will see some industry kickback soon, as it is useless web traffic. They are generating is obscene amounts of hits - and remember you have to burn power for those those back-end servers. So much for watching your C02 footprint "Big Tech"! "Permission based only" crawlers [maybe even charging the Bots] is probably coming next, along with fines for non-compliance! Money talks!
Keeping up with the world is hard ..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HzgcbRXUK8
Lex Fridman seemed genuinely in awe of this guy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykY69lSpDdo
A heady mix of topics! Advised to watch and listen without alcohol!
Watching two trends:
The Fourth AI Winter Cometh!
Spoiler alert .. this post highlights a silly episode in Gen AI (see below, the construction of a bogus term, "vegetive electron microscopy" by AI automated consumption on mass of thousands of documents, because the input process did not expect the document to be formatted in columns):
Column one is about biology, column two is about physics, by parsing convention the AI sees "a thing/entity" called "vegetive electron microscopy" and pumps it into the LLM and from there is gets used and recommended. Read full article below:
Funny after you spot it, serious when you don't!
Also see previous post: https://exiledfog.blogspot.com/2025/03/navy-fleet-design-and-lessons-of.html
Question to Self: Am I getting the basics about Eurisko, Lenat and The Trillion Credit Squadron (TCS) Tournament, staged at Origins in 1981 correct? It is forty four years ago and is definitely drifting into the legend and folklore territory.
It seems to have been a messy and emotional thing, like a lot of human endeavours and as above, with the passage of time, some forty four years, it is becoming less and less clearer. From an academic perspective on AI the Origins 1982 TCS event was largely ignored. I don't think it helped get Lenat tenure and may have even harmed him (the toxic nausea academia can have with respect to "games" was perhaps stronger then). The GDW Trillion Credit (TCS) Tournaments were not inundated with AI postdoc research students from respected AI Departments in leading universities trying to be "King" TCS Admiral. That much seems clear (and I think, much to the relief of Origins and GDW staffers).
For the record in 1981 there were three nation TCS competitions:
There was no national play-off, but I think it is safe to say the Lenat/Eurisko would have won, because the other two winners were regarded as "conventional fleets. Lenat/Eurisko's fleet stats for Origins 1981 were:
Winning TCS fleet - Origins 1981 San Mateo California
Lenat/Eurisko Fleet Fleet Parameters:
- Tech level 12.
- Jump-3.
- 1-G.
- 100 pilots.
- All ships, gas giant skimming required
Fleet Summary:
- 96 Space Ships in total
- 89 Buffered Planetoids so the fleet looked like an "asteroid belt"
- 86 space ships immediately on table [79 of them looking very rock-like]
- 75 on table in the Main Battle Line (all Buffered Planetoids)
- 11 on table in the Reserve Line (7 Wedges and 4 Buffered Planetoids)
- 10 tucked away inside their mother ships in the Reserve Line
- These 10 fighters are all Buffered Planetoids too
- Note: All human pilots (using 96 out of a possible 100)
*----- MAIN BATTLE LINE ----- (75 Space Ships - Rocks [Buffered Planetoid]) -----*
Seventy-five Eurisko class (Purpose - Battle Armoured [Buffered Planetoid] Missile Ships):
BA-Eurisko ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BA-K952563-J41100-34003-0
Cost MCr 13,030.385
Tech Level C (12) Tonnage 11,100
Ship Characteristic Breakdown
BA-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Class - Battle Armoured
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Tonnage [10,000 - 19,999 tons] (actually 11,100 tons)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Ship Type - Buffered Planetoid
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Jump (5)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Manoeuvre (2)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Power Plant (5)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Computer (6)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Crew (3) Complement of 131
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Hull Strength (J) [Planetoid + Buffered Armour] (Value 19)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Sand Casters (4)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Meson Screen (1)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Nuclear Dampeners (1)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Force Field - None
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Repulsors - None
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Lasers (3)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Energy Weapons (4)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Particle Weapons - None
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Meson Gun - None
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Missiles (3)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Fighter Squadrons - None
Defensive (Blue) and Offensive (Red) Batteries and Batteries Bearing:
Ba-K952563-J11100-1100V-0 : Batteries Bearing
Ba-K952563-J11100-1100V-0 : Batteries
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Sand Casters (4)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Lasers (3)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Energy Weapons (4)
Ba-K952563-J41100-34003-0 : Missiles (3)
Crew=131; Agility=2; Fuel=555; Passengers=0; Cargo=8; Low=0; Fuel 555; EP 555; Marines=35
Note: L-hyd drop tanks add 5,550 tons of fuel and mass, change the agility to 1, and cost 5.56. (BA-K931363), change Agility to 1 and cost MCr5.56. The ship is designed to manoeuvre when carrying up to 16,650 tons of drop tanks.
Design Notes (Exploited TCS Characteristics):
**-*9*****-*******-*****-* : The '9' implies it is a planetoid, basically a hollowed out asteroid. The advantage of this is that it is cheap to build.
**-*******-*******-****3-* : Nuclear Missile Batteries had unlimited ammunition.
*----- RESERVE LINE SPACE SHIPS ----- (11 Space Ships (4 of them looking like rocks and 7 of them looking like wedges) with another 10 small ships (all looking like rocks) carried in these, 21 in total) -----*
Four Garter class (Purpose Fleet Tender - To Jump the other Space Ships into the battle):
TB-Garter ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1
Cost MCr 17,584.104
Tonnage 12,000
Ship Characteristic Breakdown
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Class - Tender/Tanker Battle
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Tonnage [10,000 - 19,9999] 12,000 Tonnes
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Ship Type - Needle/Wedge
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Jump (5)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Manoeuvre (6)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Power Plant (7)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Computer (F - 6fib)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Crew (3) Complement 170
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Hull Strength (B) Metal (Value 11)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Sand Casters (4)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Meson Screen (1)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Nuclear Dampeners (1)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Force Field - None
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Repulsors (6)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Lasers (3)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Energy Weapons (4)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Particle Weapons - None
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Meson Weapons - None
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Missiles (9)
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1 : Fighters (1) Wasp Fighter [Lifeboat]
Defensive (Blue) and Offensive (Red) Batteries and Batteries Bearing:
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1c : Batteries Bearing C 1 EE 7
TB-K1567F3-B41106-34009-1c : Batteries C 1 EE 7
Agility=4; Fuel=840; Cargo=4.3 low=170
Design Notes:
Needle-Wedge shape
Note: L-Hyd drop tanks add 6000 tons of fuel and mass, change the agility to 4, and cost MCr6.01.(TB-K1344F3) The ship is designed to manoeuvre when carrying up to 72,000 tons of drop tanks and one Wasp fighter.
Four Cisor class: BD-Cisor
BD Cisor ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
Cost MCr22,291.175
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
BD-K9525F3-E41100-340C5-0
Bearing 1 11 1U 19,980 tons Batteries 1 11 1U crew= ? Agility=0; Fuel=999; Cargo=19.1 low=95 Note: L-Hyd drop tanks add 9,990 tons of fuel and mass, and cost MCr10. (BD- L9313F3) The ship is designed to manoeuvre when carrying up to 29,970 tons of drop tanks.
**-*9*****-*******-*****-* the '9' implies it is a planetoid, basically a hollowed out asteroid. The advantage of this is that it is cheap to build.
Three Queller class (Purpose - Life-Boat Killer): BH-Queller
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02-1
MCr27,802.392
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
BH-K1526F3-B41106-34Q02
Bearing Z 1 NN1 N 19,600 tons Batteries Z 1 NN1 N crew=263 Agility=0; Fuel=1,176; Cargo=10.72 low=232; marines=200 Note: L-hyd drop tanks add 9,800 tons of fuel and mass, and cost MCr9.81. (BH-L1314F3) The ship is designed to manoeuvre when carrying up to 29,400 tons of drop tanks and two fighters (one Wasp and one Bee).
Notes:
Needle-Wedge Shape
**-*******-******-**Q**-* the Q implies a very large particle accelerator weapon, the idea being it can blow up other peoples Lifeboats (or Shield Maiden if you care to call them that).
-- Smaller Ships -- 10 in total, Wasp (7 x 1,000 tons) and Bee (3 x 99 tons) --
Note: These are carried on other ships
Seven Wasp class (Purpose - Lifeboat [Almost unhittable ship] creates Shield so other ships can retire and repair damage, then return to fight): IL-Wasp
Il-A90ZZF2-J00000-00009-0 MCr896.75 Bearing 1 1,000 tons Batteries 1 Crew=19 Agility=6; Fuel=60; Cargo=0 low=0
Notes:
**-*9*****-*******-*****-* the '9' implies it is a planetoid, basically a hollowed out asteroid. The advantage of this is that it is cheap to build.
Agility 6 therefore hard to hit!
Three Bee class: FF-Bee
FF-0906661-A30000-00001-0 MCr127.945 Bearing 1 2 99 tons Batteries 1 2 crew=2 Agility=0; Fuel=5.94; Cargo=0
Notes:
**-*9*****-*******-*****-* the '9' implies it is a planetoid, basically a hollowed out asteroid. The advantage of this is that it is cheap to build.
90 Rocks and 6 Needle Space Ships
- End of Fleet --
Note: I have been unable to locate the 1982 Lenat/Eurisko Fleet. It was almost the polar opposite to the above, being fast and unarmoured, but again numerous. In 1983 he was asked, "not to participate" by the organisers. Credit should also be given to the nameless runner up at Origins 1981 who has a similar (relatively individually small sized 10k+ [when compared to 75,000 tonne Dreadnoughts] but heavily armoured fleet, so numerous space ships - without the "specialist ships" Lenat had) fleet. He/She (but let's face it probably a "he") too would have beaten all the conventional fleets.
According to the Trillion Credit Traveller booklet the Origins 1981, 1982 and 1983 TCS Tournaments conformed to the following rules (they seem to have been advancing the Tech Level by one each year):
Douglas Lenat did include the event in his published research papers as an example of a test-case use of Eurisko, alongside other more standard domains (such as helping with Very Large Scale Integrated Circuit Design [VLSI]). It was a supplementary research issue that helped him think about his core interest, that is common-sense logic, that is a form of knowledge representation we have yet to crack. He was in the Symbolic-Ontology camp, even if it became uncool (see below. Lenat on Cyc, in one sense the ongoing evolution of Eurisko):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjkbmLjwXO8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2rK40bNrrY
Citizens of the Imperium - Forum Threads on TCS and Eurisko:
https://www.travellerrpg.com/threads/eurisko-and-tcs.38249/page-2