Argumentation Frameworks

Formal Argumentation:

• Dung's Abstract Argumentation Framework - arguments as nodes in a directed graph with attacks to other arguments.
• Probabilistic Argumentation Framework - arguments have probabilities and attacks with probabilistic reasoning and uncertainty
• Value-Based Argumentation Framework - using values and preferences in the process to enable reasoning agents to resolve conflicts
• Logic-Based Argumentation Framework - using logical formalisms to represent arguments and attacks with precise reasoning

Informal Argumentation:

• Argumentation Mining - extracting arguments from text
• Dialog Systems - agents engage in argumentative dialogs with humans and/or agents

Hybrid Argumentation:

• Combined Formal and Informal
• Integrating Machine Learning

Useless Management

Most roles in management are utterly useless. What is their role?

Planning:

• Setting goals and objectives for wider organization and teams
• Developing strategies to achieve those goals and objectives
• Development of an action plan and timelines
• Allocation of resources in support of those plans

Organizing:

• Designing origanizational structure
• Defining roles and responsibilities
• Establishing clear lines of communication
• Ensuring organization has the resources and infrastructure

Leading:

• Inspiring and motivating employees in the organization
• Communicating effectively
• Building strong alliances and relationships
• Making decisions to solve problems
• Providing guidance and support

Controlling:

• Monitoring progress towards goals and objectives
• Measuring performance against standards
• Identifying deviations for corrective actionable measures
• Evaluating effectiveness of organization

Other Aspects:

• Interpersonal: building relationships, networking, maintaining reputation, representing the organization
• Informational: gathering, analyzing, spreading correct information for decision making
• Decisional: making decisions to solve problems and providing resources
• Efficiency and Productivity: proving effective and streamlined processes, reduce waste, improve productivity
• Employee Satisfaction: create positive work environments, motive employees, and foster supportive and inclusive work culture
• Organizational Success: setting clear goals, decision making, adapting to change, contributing to success

In essence, management is about getting things done through people. This essentially shows that AI can pretty much replace most managerial roles. Management should be the first point of redundancies when an organization does not do well. In future, we hope to see less management in organization and flatter structure within employees. The role of a manager is pretty much pointless. Why bother hiring a manager and wasting valuable organization funds. Most human managers do not achieve even 10% of their role. AI could make the manager role significantly more efficient and productive for an organization while empowering employees. And, you won't even have to provide them any monetary compensation. The biggest wastage of funds in any organization is management. Another aspect to this is the role reversal. Make managers accountable to employees. And, when things go wrong managers should be the first ones out the door as they failed at their role.

Bun vs Nodejs

Nodejs:

• Widely used with huge adoption
• Event-driven
• V8 Javascript Engine
• High performance for I/O tasks
• Requires additional tooling for bundling and transpiling
• Primarily Javascript

Bun:

• Not so widely used, newer, and improved performance
• All-in-one toolchain
• Zig-based
• Javascript Core Engine
• Faster Startup time
• Growing ecosystem
• Primarily Javascript with some Zig

OnlyFans

What types of people are on OnlyFans?

Consumers:

• Individuals that are looking for sexually explicit content who may also want exclusive access.
• People that also have interests in other converging and diverse areas.
• It is often stated that the platform caters to incels which may indirectly promote violence and misogyny.

Content Creators:

• Generally, described variously as sex workers that produce sexually explicit content for consumers.
• These people can vary across their interest groups from fitness trainers, artists, musicians, social media influencers to models.
• Although, it is primarily known for sexual content, there may be other diverse content on the platform for a range of users.

What are free radicals?

Free radicals are reactive molecules containing an unpaired electron. They are unstable and able to steal electrons from other molecules which causes damage to cells and tissues. They are produced naturally within the body as a byproduct of metabolism which can also be generated through pollution, radiation, and smoking. Some free radicals help with immunity. While excess can lead to oxidative stress that triggers health problems like aging, cancer, and heart disease. To help neutralize free radicals and protect cells from damage it is important to consume antioxidants that are contained in fruits, vegetables, and supplements.  

Automated Image Generation

• Bannerbear
• adCreative
• Canva
• VistaCreate
• Adobe Express
• Bannerflow
• Creatopy
• DynaPictures
• Abyssale
• Creatomate
• Placid
• Frameshift
• Duply
• Switchboard
• Templated

What Language Could Replace Python?

Python has dominated the data science industry and its popularity continues to grow. The next big programming language that would likely replace Python will have the following elements in order to succeed:

• Rust speed, efficiency, and memory safety. 
• Julia scientific computing and data analysis features.
• Go simplicity, efficiency, and concurrency.
• C/C++ low-level integration and optimization.

The likely fifth set of features would be the extensions of AI embedded within the language with metaprogramming, metaphors, enhanced typing like gradual and dependent, better concurrency and parallelism, logic programming, functional programming, code completion, automatic bug detection, code generation, quantum computing integration, enhanced security and privacy, algorithmic machine learning abstractions, distributed federation, cognitive abstractions, direct support for services and testability, model assurance, automl features, self-correction, auto-scripting, self-documentation, model explainability and interpretability, and many other options.

Graduate Programs

Graduate Programs

MBA Programs

MBA Programs USA

MBA Programs USA

Online MBA Programs

Javascript vs Dart

Javascript:

Javascript comes with a huge ecosystem of frameworks and libraries. It follows the document object model and is great for web applications. However, the language is less performant on highly complex use cases and dynamic typing often leads to runtime errors. Javascript can be used for both frontend and backend. Unfortunately, it is only really good for single-threaded use cases. It supports object-orientation, cross-platform development, and asynchronous programming like callbacks, promises, and async/wait. 

Dart: 

Dart is a strongly typed language that is useful for cross-platform mobile applications and server-side that require more structure, static typing, and performance. Similar to Javascript, it is object-oriented, useful for cross-platform development, and provides asynchronous programming mechanisms. Unfortunately, it significantly lags behind in the community with a smaller ecosystem. However, this is likely to grow rapidly due to Flutter.

Use Dart for your next mobile app or game. The learning curve for Dart is relatively high because of a smaller community. Use Javascript if you rely on a larger ecosystem and would rather not reinvent the wheel.

Computer Vision Models

Some of the top performing deep learning models in computer vision are mentioned below. However, best is quite subjective and it really depends on the tasks, dataset, and requirements. Factors pertaining to the choice of model could range from accuracy, speed, model size, application, and data.

Image Classification:

• ResNet
• EfficientNet
• Vision Transformer

Object Detection:

• YOLO
• SSD
• Faster R-CNN

Image Segmentation:

• U-Net
• Mask R-CNN

Others:

• DINO
• CLIP

AI Artwork

AI Artwork

Korea, Japan, and China

Imagine what sort of a world it would be if Korea, China, and Japan were to ever form an economic alliance, similar to a European Union. This economic merger would have significant and profound economic implications. 

• Global Dominance
• Increased Innovation
• Extensive Global Influence
• Increased Trade and Investment
• Reduced Trade Barriers
• Extensive Global Competitiveness
• More Resilience to Economic Shocks

Why this is unlikely to ever happen?

• Political and Cultural Differences
• Threat to USA Hegemony
• Economic Disparities
• Social and Cultural Integration
• Geopolitical Implications
• Shift in Balance of Power
• New Global Trade Opportunities
• Geopolitical Tensions
• Geopolitical Resentment with Increased Competition

Top Innovations of 2024

• AI-Powered Scientific Discovery
• AI-Powered Language Models
• AI-Driven Drug Discovery
• AI-Enhanced Cybersecurity
• AI-Driven Drones
• AI-Enhanced Healthcare
• Advanced Battery Technologies
• Biodegradable Plastics
• Brain-Computer Interfaces
• Advanced Robotics
• Space Exploration
• Advancements in Self-Driving Autonomous Vehicles
• Advancements in Renewable Energy
• Sustainable Materials 
• Generative AI
• Carbon-Capturing Microbes
• Elastocalorics
• Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces
• High-Altitude Platform Stations
• Advancements in Quantum Computing

Top Universities Suck

Most people blindly only consider top universities for education. However, top universities does not mean a top education. One has to wonder the premium of prestige is it really worth it? The economic utility of a top university tends to be a lot lower compared to the overarching aspects of work experience. 

• Top universities come at a higher cost with huge student debt.
• There is significant intensity for competition. Usually this competition is from students with traditional backgrounds that are unwilling to challenge the status quo. It can lead to stress and burnout.
• Too much focus on prestige means the quality of education and individual student needs suffers significantly. 
• Limited personal attention makes it difficult to cater to the potentials of students.
• They may not be the best for everyone especially with the style of learning, interests, and career goals.
• There tends to be more focus on theory rather than practice. Grades become the emphasis of a narrowmind with limited opportunity for creativity and independent thinking.
• They may lead to a clique environment on university campus and false sense of self-worth, likely an increase in bullying culture.
• Top universities statistically also have higher incidents of rape, abuse, discrimination, and prejudices.
• The ROI from attending a top university may never materialize for you in the real-world especially if you take on a course that has limited opportunities.
• By focusing on academic performance one loses the entrepreneurial mindset.
• The university may also not be the best in teaching and research for your chosen course.
• Limited opportunities for apprenticeships and work experience.
• Law of diminishing returns: after a point, the additional benefits of attending a top university may not justify the additional cost.
• Prestige premium: going to a top university initially offers a slight advantage, but this diminishes over time.
• Overtime, it matters most what you do with the degree, what you learned from the course, not where you got it from.

Outsourcing is Expensive

Outsourcing is counterproductive and more expensive than building an in-house team. It is a less cost-effective solution. It is not just expensive, but also risky.

• Recruitment and onboarding becomes more complex
• Increase in infrastructure costs
• Complex employee benefits
• Lots of hidden overhead costs
• Less control on quality and service
• Less control on hiring needs
• Less control on tech talent
• Less control on security
• Things get lost through loopholes
• Projects become larger, dispersed, and inefficient
• Lots of red tape
• Everything adds up as a cost
• More bugs and less time for design and testing
• Faster time-to-market does not always mean better
• Scalability is questionable
• Access to questionable and mediocre specialized expertise
• Complex projects become more complex with increased costs
• Long-term partnerships lead to more vendor lock in and more ongoing costs of maintenance
• IP concerns on who owns what within the project
• Complex governance and compliance
• Difficult to manage standardization efforts
• Often leads to degradation in quality and service
• Increased corporate politics
• Loss of ownership and responsibility
• When things go wrong, they really go wrong, and often
• More effort to keep things as is rather than improve
• It is not in the best interest of the outsourcing third-party to produce a product that is free of bugs, continued maintenance means a long-term partnership
• Too many specialized jobs, many unnecessary, leads to less efficient and less productive employees
• Reduced job satisfaction, reduced quality of product, loss of ethics, loss of integrity, loss of culture
• Increased employee turnover
• More projects get canned
• Difficult to manage projects
• Increase in failure and chance of things going wrong
• Increased dependency on outsourcing third-party, internal frustration, and friction
• Outsourced employees don't care about your company or your product
• More potential for communication issues
• Language barriers
• Potential for time zone differences
• Potential for cultural differences
• Potential for misalignment
• Increased concern for data privacy and intellectual property
• Outsourcing third-party may not share, understand, or even care for your company vision
• Difficult to monitor on work and progress
• Outsourcing is more of a scam rather than a business solution
• Increased costs in transition for the transfer of knowledge and processes
• Potential for hidden fees and unexpected expenses
• Reduced and limited innovation opportunities which are often stifled by the outsourcing third-party
• Difficult to get new funding on projects
• Too many weak links within the corporate environment
• Difficult to control what the outsourcing third-party is sharing with other clients about your project who may be your key competitors, potential for leakage in trade secrets even with a non-disclosure and/or non-compete agreement

Failure of Western Economics

Western economics has experienced a lot of success over the years through technological advancements, globalization, and innovation. But, it has also faced challenges through credit crisis, natural disasters, pandemics, and other issues. Most western economies over the years have experienced higher living standards and reduced sense of poverty. Capitalism has provided a shift in focus towards the incentivized growth and success of the individual. However, this has also provided higher levels of inequality, environmental damage, stagnant wages, rising debt levels, and financial instability. Focus towards GDP growth has led to unsustainable practices and neglect of both the social and environmental well-being. It has also increased the gap in wealth and power in concentrations towards a few. This has been seen as a major flaw in many western economies. Although, western economic models are complex, increasingly they are showing failure in economic sustainability with a bleak future outlook. Politicians continue to display policy interests towards a wealthy few and neglect towards the greater population which has dire consequences. In many respects, western economies are showing a very heavy burden on the taxpayer with rising cost of living while also displaying irresponsibility for the outpouring of funds for financing foreign wars that have very negative global economic implications. The heightened sense of uncertainty has led to significant stagnation across the western economic frontiers.

Drawbacks of Bitcoin

Bitcoin has been gaining in popularity as of late. However, it has fundamental downsides that means diversification with minimizaton of risk is key. The below highlight some common drawbacks of Bitcoin investing.

• Extreme Volatility - Bitcoin is highly volatile with rapid fluctuations in market sentiment.
• Regulatory Uncertainty - Bitcoin has an uncertain trajectory with significant impact on value from regulatory changes that are still evolving.
• Security Risks - Bitcoin wallets and exchanges are targets for hackers. If you lose access to wallet or it is compromised you could lose your investment.
• Lack of Intrinsic Value - There is no intrinsic value. It is difficult to measure the asset value of Bitcoin in real terms. The value is derived from demand and speculation.
• Energy Consumption - Bitcoin is a drain to the environment with a growing energy footprint.
• Limited Acceptance - Bitcoin is not widely accepted form of payment and has limited use cases.
• Psychological Risks - Bitcoin is emotionally draining due to high price fluctuations.
• Tax Implications - Bitcoin investing comes with complex tax implications that vary by jurisdiction which means understanding your tax obligation can be tricky. 

AI Consciousness

• Consciousness for AI
• Artificial Consciousness and Human-Robot Interaction
• Do Machines Really Understand Meaning
• Consciousness in AI
• AI Consciousness is Inevitable
• A Case for AI Consciousness
• Is artificial consciousness achievable?
• Artificial consciousness
• AI Consciousness and Public Perceptions
• Conscious AI
• If consciousness is dynamically relevant, artificial intelligence isn't conscious

City and Management Simulation Games

• SimCity 4
• Cities: Skylines
• Anno 1800
• Tropico Series
• Ostriv
• TheoTown
• Surviving Mars
• Prison Architect
• Theme Park

First-Person Shooter Games

Modern Classics:

• Doom Eternal
• Halo: Infinite
• Titanfall 2
• Half-Life: Alyx

Competitive Shooters:

• Counter-Strike Global Offensive
• Valorant
• Overwatch 2
• Apex Legends

Others:

• Call of Duty
• Battlefield 2042
• Crysis
• Hunt: Showdown
• Deep Rock Galactic

War Simulation Games

Grand Strategy:

• Hearts of Iron IV
• Europa Universalis IV
• Crusader Kings III

Real-Time Strategy:

• Company of Heroes 2
• Men of War: Assault Squad 2
• Steel Division 2
• Command & Conquer

Tactical/Squad:

• Arma 3
• Squad
• Hell Let Loose

Historical:

• Total War: Warhammer III
• Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord
• Age of Empires IV

Others:

• War Thunder
• World of Tanks
• XCom2

Asian Animation

Donghua are animation forms made in China with diverse styles and genres from traditional to modern. These animations tend to have a more realistic look. Themes and storylines are influenced from Chinese mythology and history.

Anime are animation forms made in Japan with distinctive styles, colors and diverse stories. These animations tend to have a more exaggerated look. Themes and storylines are very diverse with explorations into fantasy, scifi, and slice-of-life.

Aeni are animation forms made in Korea with similarities often shared with Anime and Donghua across various styles and genres with distinctive western variations. These animations tend to have a more realistic look. Themes and storylines are more realistic with grounded stories.

In many respects, different animation variations may share cross influences in both themes, storylines, styles, and genres. Asian animation is evolving and diverse with huge options.

These categories may include further sub-genres and styles, such as:

• Mecha which includes robots, war, technology, and humanity.
• Magical Girl which includes girls that transform into magical fighters against evil.
• Slice-of-Life which covers everyday lives of ordinary individuals which include themes like friendship and family.
• Historical which includes ancient periods covering real-world events.
• Fantasy which focuses on magic and myth within a fantastical world.
• Scifi which focuses on futuristic and technologically advanced experiences.
• Wuxia which focuses on martial arts with a mix of fantasy.
• Xianxia which focuses on Chinese mythology and folklore with immorality and cultivation.
• Xuanhuan which focuses on magic and supernatural powers.
• Manhua which covers Chinese comics
• Manhwa which covers Korean comics
• Manga which covers Japanese comics
• Comedy which covers humor and satire
• Cyberpunk which covers futuristic dystopian themes.
• Guohuaxianxia which covers Chinese mythology and folklore.
• Psychological which covers dark and disturbing psychological themes.
• Idol which covers idols and their fans.
• Music which covers musical performances.
• Isekai which covers fantastical characters that get transported to other worlds.
• Sports which covers sports competitions.
• Martial Arts which covers martial arts combats.

Artificial Intelligence has been increasingly used in Asian Animations and will continue to make a significant impact in the programmatic generation and production. Some areas which have significantly had AI influences include: in-betweening, lip-syncing, character animation, art styles, character rigging, motion capture, rendering, visual experiences, and story development. 

Alice's Adventures of Neural Networks

Alice's Adventures of Neural Networks

No-Code LLM App Builders

No-code LLM app builders

GenAI, AGI, and Superintelligence

Artificial Intelligence has come along way. However, AI still faces a significant challenge and several roadblocks. They can assist us in mundane tasks but not completely replace humans in many tasks that require complex learning and adaptability. The below highlight the primary three areas of AI advancement stages. We are currently in the first GenAI stage of enlightenment. There is still a long way to go before AI becomes a real competitive contender to a human and even to surpass those human limits.

Generative AI (GenAI):

• Focus: Content generation in audio, video, image, code, and text in a specific application
• Capabilities: Trained on huge datasets to generate near human-replicated content
• Current State: Advanced use cases across industry for various applications

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI):

• Focus: Human-level intelligence for generalizable tasks
• Capabilities: Ability to understand and learn any human task
• Current State: Not yet achievable with ongoing research progress

Superintelligence:

• Focus: Ability to go beyond human intelligence
• Capabilities: Able to do things beyond human comprehension and abilities
• Current State: Not yet achievable, still in theoretical stage

Enhanced GenAI With Knowledge Graphs

Enhanced GenAI With Knowledge Graphs 

GenAI For Beginners

GenAI For Beginners

Dreams

Dreams