Interview Questions for Michael I. Jordan, Scholar at University of California, Berkeley

Professor Michael I. Jordan, a renowned researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, with a diverse background in AI and various other fields, has proposed a new perspective on the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

Jordan argues that the current public understanding of AI encompasses various ideas, not all of which contribute equally to creating economic value. He suggests that market mechanisms can be a partial solution to such problems, as they have been effective in other areas.

According to Jordan, the desired behavior in AI systems emerges from each participant having enough knowledge in the context of an overall system. An example of the issue with the focus on optimizing a single agent's behavior is a map application recommending the same route to many users, resulting in traffic congestion.

The last wave of AI has primarily focused on learning systems that take in vast amounts of data. However, Jordan believes that AI should aim to create technology that integrates well with other technology, is transparent, explainable, understandable, and responsive to its environment.

Moreover, Jordan advocates for rethinking AI within the context of evolving societal, ethical, and legal norms. He also emphasizes the need for education to be adapted to ensure problems are being addressed in their appropriate context.

Jordan further believes that the development of AI will involve not only industry and academia, but also government and other stakeholders. He suggests that AI will be a highly-distributed phenomenon, with different countries specializing in different aspects of the overall problem.

In the economic sphere, researchers like Dr. Daniel Metko from the University of Bremen are applying machine learning methods within empirical finance. Economists are contributing significantly by addressing challenges in model selection, robust data analysis, and real-world finance applications, helping the machine learning community tackle practical and methodological issues through interdisciplinary approaches.

Jordan also believes that more perspective from microeconomics and market design is needed to give meaning and context to data flows in AI. Building market mechanisms on top of data flows could create "intelligent markets" that currently do not exist, creating jobs and unleashing creativity.

An example of a system that could benefit from such an approach is the music industry, which lacks efficient market mechanisms between producers and consumers, creating difficulties for musicians to extract value.

Jordan does not believe that one particular country or company will dominate in AI. Instead, he sees a future where AI is a highly-distributed phenomenon, with different countries specializing in different aspects of the overall problem.

In conclusion, Prof. Michael I. Jordan's vision for AI development emphasizes a holistic approach, considering not only technological aspects but also societal, ethical, and economic factors. His ideas could pave the way for a more balanced and sustainable development of AI.

Interview Questions for Michael I. Jordan, Scholar at University of California, Berkeley