2023年经济学人 新的联想学习模型与其对人工智能的影响(2)

 

    Looking at things this way deals with two things that have always bugged¹ the old model.

    以这种模型看待问题解决了两个旧模型无法解释的问题。

    One is sensitivity to timescale.

    一是时间上的敏感性。

    The other is computational tractability².

    二是计算上的可操纵性。

    The timescale problem is that cause and effect may be separated by milliseconds (switching on a light bulb and experiencing illumination), minutes (having a drink and feeling tipsy) or even hours (eating something bad and getting food poisoning).

    时间方面的问题在于，因果可能以毫秒（打开灯泡并感受到照明）、分钟（喝饮料并感到醉意）甚至小时（吃坏肚子并食物中毒）为单位出现。

    Looking backward, Dr.Namboodiri explains, permits investigation³ of an arbitrarily long list of possible causes.

    南博迪里博士解释说，回顾过去，可以分析很多可能造成某个结果的原因。

    Looking forward, without always knowing in advance how far to look, is much trickier⁴.

    但展望未来，不总是能够知道要等待什么时候发生的什么结果，分析起来要困难得多。

    This leads to the second problem.

    这就导致了第二个问题。

    Sensory⁵ experience is rich, and everything therein could potentially predict an outcome.

    感官体验是十分丰富的，其中一切都有可能是结果的预测。

    Making predictions based on every single possible cue would be somewhere between difficult and impossible.

    根据可能的单一线索进行预测十分困难，甚至不可能实现。

    It is far simpler, when a meaningful event happens, to look backwards⁶ through other potentially meaningful events for a cause.

    而如果发生了一件有意义的事，据此回顾其它潜在的、有意义的事来寻找原因要简单得多。

    In practice, however, it is hard to distinguish experimentally between the two models.

    然而现实是，很难在实验中区分这两种模型。

    And that is especially true if you do not even bother to look - which, until now, people have not.

    如果你甚至懒得费心去看，那就更是如此——到目前为止，还没有人做过这样的事。

    Dr. Jeong and Dr. Namboodiri have done so.

    而郑博士和南博迪里博士做到了这一点。

    They devised and conducted 11 experiments involving mice, buzzers⁷ and drops of sugar solution that were designed specifically for the purpose.

    他们设计并进行了11项实验，实验用到了小鼠和专门为实验设计的蜂鸣器和糖液。

    During these they measured, in real time, the amount of dopamine being released by the nucleus⁸ accumbens, a region of the brain in which dopamine is implicated⁹ in learning and addiction¹⁰.

    伏隔核是大脑中与学习和成瘾有关的区域，在实验过程中，研究人员对伏隔核释放的多巴胺含量进行了实时测量。

    All of the experiments came down in favour of the new model.

    所有的实验结果都支持新的模型假设。

    The 180° turnabout in thinking - from prospective¹¹ to retrospective - that is implied by these experiments is causing quite a stir in the world of neuroscience.

    这些实验所暗示的思维180度大转变——从前瞻性思维到回顾性思维——在神经科学界引起了不小的轰动。

    It is "thought-provoking and represents a stimulating¹² new direction," says Ilana Witten, a neuroscientist at Princeton University uninvolved with the paper.

    没有参与这篇论文的普林斯顿大学的神经学家伊兰那·维登说，这篇论文“发人深省，代表了一个鼓舞人心的新方向”。

    More experiments will be needed to confirm the new findings.

    还需要更多的实验来证实新的发现。

    But if confirmation¹³ comes, it will have ramifications¹⁴ beyond neuroscience.

    但如果该发现的真实性得到证实，它产生的影响将不仅限于神经科学。

    It will suggest that the way AI works does not, as currently argued, have even a tenuous¹⁵ link with how brains operate, but was actually a lucky guess.

    它表明，人工智能的工作方式并不像目前人们所说的那样，与大脑的运作方式有着微妙的联系，而实际上是幸运的猜测。

    But it might also suggest better ways of doing AI.

    但它也可能为人工智能学习提供更好的方法。

    Dr. Namboodiri thinks so, and is exploring the possibilities.

    南博迪里博士就是这样认为的，并正在探索新的可能性。

    Evolution has had hundreds of millions of years to optimize¹⁶ the process of learning.

    数亿年的进化在不断优化学习的过程。

    So learning from nature is rarely a bad idea.

    因此，向大自然学习不失为一个好主意。

1 bugged   

vt.在…装窃听器（bug的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• The police have bugged his office. 警察在他的办公室装了窃听器。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had bugged off before I had a chance to get a word in. 我还没来得及讲话，他已经走了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 tractability   

温顺，易处理，易加工的东西

参考例句：

• You will find the dog's tractability and friendliness. 你会发现狗既温顺又友好。
• Mrs. Durbeyfield was only too delighted at this tractability. 德北太太见她这么听话，只有大喜。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 trickier   

adj.狡猾的( tricky的比较级 )；（形势、工作等）复杂的；机警的；微妙的

参考例句：

• This is the general rule, but some cases are trickier than others. 以上是一般规则，但某些案例会比别的案例更为棘手。 来自互联网
• The lower the numbers go, the trickier the problems get. 武器的数量越低，问题就越复杂。 来自互联网

5 sensory   

adj.知觉的，感觉的，知觉器官的

参考例句：

• Human powers of sensory discrimination are limited.人类感官分辨能力有限。
• The sensory system may undergo long-term adaptation in alien environments.感觉系统对陌生的环境可能经过长时期才能适应。

6 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

7 buzzers   

n.门铃( buzzer的名词复数 )；蜂音器（的声音）；发嗡嗡声的东西或人；汽笛

参考例句：

• Scout in with Buzzers(Via The Swarm) or whatever fast unit you have. 用技能召唤的蜂群（或者任何你拥有的快速单位）探路。 来自互联网
• Buzzers have the ability to clear garrisoned structures. 蜂群拥有清除驻军建筑得能力。 来自互联网

8 nucleus   

n.核，核心，原子核

参考例句：

• These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。
• These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。

9 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

10 addiction   

n.上瘾入迷，嗜好

参考例句：

• He stole money from his parents to feed his addiction.他从父母那儿偷钱以满足自己的嗜好。
• Areas of drug dealing are hellholes of addiction,poverty and murder.贩卖毒品的地区往往是吸毒上瘾、贫困和发生谋杀的地方。

11 prospective   

adj.预期的，未来的，前瞻性的

参考例句：

• The story should act as a warning to other prospective buyers.这篇报道应该对其他潜在的购买者起到警示作用。
• They have all these great activities for prospective freshmen.这会举办各种各样的活动来招待未来的新人。

12 stimulating   

adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的

参考例句：

• shower gel containing plant extracts that have a stimulating effect on the skin 含有对皮肤有益的植物精华的沐浴凝胶
• This is a drug for stimulating nerves. 这是一种兴奋剂。

13 confirmation   

n.证实，确认，批准

参考例句：

• We are waiting for confirmation of the news.我们正在等待证实那个消息。
• We need confirmation in writing before we can send your order out.给你们发送订购的货物之前，我们需要书面确认。

14 ramifications   

n.结果，后果( ramification的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These changes are bound to have widespread social ramifications. 这些变化注定会造成许多难以预料的社会后果。
• What are the ramifications of our decision to join the union? 我们决定加入工会会引起哪些后果呢？ 来自《简明英汉词典》

15 tenuous   

adj.细薄的，稀薄的，空洞的

参考例句：

• He has a rather tenuous grasp of reality.他对现实认识很肤浅。
• The air ten miles above the earth is very tenuous.距离地面十公里的空气十分稀薄。

16 optimize   

v.使优化 [=optimise]

参考例句：

• We should optimize the composition of the Standing Committees.优化人大常委会组成人员的结构。
• We should optimize our import mix and focus on bringing in advanced technology and key equipment.优化进口结构，着重引进先进技术和关键设备。