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Reading this headline gave me a feeling of ... nostalgia. I remember similar claims when genetic engineering first appeared in the 1990s. The thing is that hum
by joe_the_user 7y ago
Reading this headline gave me a feeling of ... nostalgia. I remember similar claims when genetic engineering first appeared in the 1990s.
The thing is that humans have had the technology to read and write genes in various ways for quite a while. The problem is that this editing involves a programming-like-activity on a system vastly, inconceivably, more complex and interconnected than any human constructed computer.
Which to say, whole-organism engineering cannot happen if we use current methodologies. In fact, my guess would be that the problem qualifies as "AI complete" [1]. This doesn't mean it can't be solved but it seems mostly to be solved if/when general purpose AI is created. That may happen in 30 years or 10 years with a huge breakthrough or it may always be 30 years away.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI-complete https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI-complete
- exmadscientist 7y ago> The problem has that this editing involves a programming-like-activity on a system vastingly, inconceivably more complex and interconnected than any human constructed computer. It's like programming in Malbolge... if Python was as "fun" as Malbolge actually is!
- tyscorp 7y agoThere is a talk [1] I saw about programming our bodies at a higher level than genes. Analogous to editing HDL over physically altering an ASIC. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjD1aLm4Thg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjD1aLm4Thg
- alexgmcm 7y agoHaha, I knew exactly what talk it was going to be before clicking it. It's one of the most interesting talks I have seen, hopefully something comes of it all.
- raducu 7y agoHow would AI help a problem that requires vast biochemical simulations and vast experimentation? The problem is not that we have all the data but we are not intelligent enough to solve, we just don't have all the information and we cannot yet model it accurately enough.
- est31 7y ago> Which to say, whole-organism engineering cannot happen if we use current methodologies. You are correct with that but humans have already modified the germline and gene therapy of the immune system is already in trials I think.