[joshfee]

This was a flaw in the original AlphaGo, but the subsequent AlphaZero (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlphaZero) trained entirely from self play with no prior information. So essentially it _does_ build fundamental understanding.

I think the ability to learn by self play (essentially in a closed room without external training data) is where the line between "fundamental understanding" and "regurgitating information" from these AIs lie.

[famouswaffles]

There isn't really any difference between self play and no self play in terms of "fundamental understanding" and "regurgitation". It's the same training scheme just with different data.

[white_beach]

more recently https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adg3256