Editing 2429: Exposure Models
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==Explanation== | ==Explanation== | ||
| − | This is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series]] related to the {{w|COVID-19 | + | {{incomplete|Created by a CUMULATIVE NUMBER OF COVID SPREADSHEETS CREATED OVER TIME. Please mention here why this explanation isn't complete. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}} |
| + | This is another comic in a [[:Category:COVID-19|series]] related to the {{w|2019-20 coronavirus outbreak|2020 pandemic}} of the {{w|coronavirus}} {{w|SARS-CoV-2}}, which causes {{w|COVID-19}}. | ||
| − | [[Cueball]] | + | [[Cueball]] created another COVID exposure model to help lower his risk of catching COVID-19 in the pandemic. [[Megan]] inquires about the model's result, to which Cueball admits that he's been sitting at his computer continuously debugging models, and draws the conclusion that debugging COVID-19 models lessens close contact with other people. This is similar to the premise of [[1445: Efficiency]] and [[1708: Dehydration]], except with the situation reversed — where before, researching a situation made the situation worse, here Cueball's time "wasted" has actually benefited him. |
| − | By "model," Randall likely means a manually crafted model, since he describes debugging it, but he may also mean the form of automatically generated software that is used in modern machine learning. | + | By "model," Randall likely means a manually crafted model, since he describes debugging it, but he may also mean the form of automatically generated software that is used in modern machine learning. This comic is the first in which Randall may be directly discussing this popular new form of technology. Machine learning has been in use among engineers for a number of years now, and is spreading more and more rapidly. There are nowadays toolkits and courses for almost anybody to make use of machine learning to accomplish their tasks, especially if they are willing to train their models remotely in a corporate datacenter. |
| − | Cueball is too busy making models to figure out how to actually lower his risk other than sitting around repeating the work of others and improving his model-building skill. He has also created a meta-model, reporting the number of models Cueball has to create to wait the pandemic out. The | + | Cueball is too busy making models to figure out how to actually lower his risk other than sitting around repeating the work of others and improving his model-building skill. He has also created a meta-model, reporting the number of models Cueball has to create to wait the pandemic out. The title text further expands on recursive graphs by charting charts about COVID-19. |
| − | + | Meta-models relate to the concern of making machines too smart without first addressing dangers of poor alignment. Alignment relates to designing systems that respect human values when allowed to run autonomously, and is an unsolved problem. | |
==Transcript== | ==Transcript== | ||
| − | :[Cueball is sitting | + | :[Cueball is sitting at a desk with a laptop. Megan walks in.] |
:Cueball: I built another COVID exposure model to help me limit my risk. | :Cueball: I built another COVID exposure model to help me limit my risk. | ||
| − | :[Megan | + | :[Megan is now standing behind Cueball, who has turned in his chair to face her.] |
:Megan: Any new insights? | :Megan: Any new insights? | ||
:Cueball: Yeah: "If you spend all day debugging models, you don't have close contact with a lot of people." | :Cueball: Yeah: "If you spend all day debugging models, you don't have close contact with a lot of people." | ||
| − | :[Cueball turns | + | :[Cueball turns back to his laptop. The back of his chair has disappeared.] |
:Megan: Well, I guess it worked. | :Megan: Well, I guess it worked. | ||
:Cueball: According to my meta-model, the end of the pandemic is only four more models away. | :Cueball: According to my meta-model, the end of the pandemic is only four more models away. | ||
| − | :Megan: | + | :Megan: ''So close!'' |
==Trivia== | ==Trivia== | ||
| − | + | Cueball's chair is missing its back in the last panel. Given the fact that most chair backs do not disappear when someone stops leaning on them,{{Citation needed}} [[Randall]] probably just forgot to draw it. | |
| − | |||
{{comic discussion}} | {{comic discussion}} | ||
