Because an improved theoretical understanding of how complex systems work can be incredibly valuable. Anesthesia is a good example - we get a lot of value from

Because an improved theoretical understanding of how complex systems work can be incredibly valuable. Anesthesia is a good example - we get a lot of value from it, yes, but it would be way better if we could tailor dosages to individuals based on an understanding of how that individual will experience pain. There would be fewer severe complications, but also maybe you could wake up refreshed an hour after surgery instead of in a stupor. If this could work with computer-trained models, that would be incredible too. What could a great speech understanding system teach us about language? What tricks from a facial-expression classifier could help autistic kids understand their friends?