Almost as fascinating is that the article references Digg as the source - genuinely hadn't heard of Digg for maybe a decade? I thought the DVD encryption fiasco + reddit had ended it?
Real research at most big companies is dead. Unfortunately, what has replaced it is mostly venture-backed startups, where the timeline to a return is still expected to be quite short.
As a result, you end up with companies doing basic research under the guise of developing a product, announcing timelines which are never going to be met. Fusion energy and quantum computing startups are some of the most egregious examples of this.
Real research has always been long term as well as heavy manufacturing. It requires long-term planning with long-term budget, which is hard to get when money is expensive.
I have been shorting most of the Quantum Computing startups for about a year. They have been printing. Missed out on Fusion! (?) These were one of few examples of the market leaving money on the table. Others examples have been Nikola. Usually the scammyiest companies don't IPO.
The headline makes good bait for AI skeptics. But this is a team of 50 people with a grandiose name.
The more interesting idea is that MS has abandoned AI research entirely, presumably because their zillions invested in other companies are a better bet in that area.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digg#2025%E2%80%93present:_The...
Seems like it quickly pivoted quickly to cash in on "AI" hype.
https://archive.is/AaY5O
(Original https://hunch.net/?p=13764006 )
It was my introduction to feature hashing.
As a result, you end up with companies doing basic research under the guise of developing a product, announcing timelines which are never going to be met. Fusion energy and quantum computing startups are some of the most egregious examples of this.
The more interesting idea is that MS has abandoned AI research entirely, presumably because their zillions invested in other companies are a better bet in that area.
This is certainly an interesting timeline in this section of the light cone