[r618]

it would be maybe interesting to know how was Lem thinking about the actual algorithmic process the machine uses while writing this:

- purely symbolic with myriads of symbolic (if-else) clauses similar to expert systems, or

- sub symbolical ANN networks similar to current LLMs

i suspect it was the former in which case that he actually arrived at description of current large NNs is really striking I think

[ajuc]

Dunno about this fragment, but in general in 60s he usually wrote about AI as "cybernetic electronic brain" or "cybernetic black boxes". Cybernetic in the old sense - not the cyberpunk implants, but the analog devices with feedback loops.

He wrote A LOT about this and explored various consequences, including the simulation argument which he presented in 1960 as a short story "Strange chests of professor Corcoran" - https://przekroj.org/sztuka-opowiesci/dziwne-skrzynie-profes... here's the Polish version).

[crucialfelix]

In Summa Technologiae he discusses statistical learning and matrices.

[r618]

that's really awesome

, he's had extraordinary intuition with this