Decision Mechanics

Insight. Applied.

Python tops programming language list

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Python has topped the IEEE Spectrum list of top programming languages again this year—extending its lead in the process.

The sources used to compiled the list cover

contexts that include social chatter, open-source code production, and job postings.

Obviously that list of sources isn’t an accurate reflection of what developers are doing day-to-day in organisations. Any list of top programming languages that puts R (#7) above JavaScript (#8) clearly has some methodological challenges. My belief is that the list reflects the current buzz around data science.

However, interest in Python clearly remains high. As it does in R—#7 is impressive for a domain-specific language.

Google reveals performance of its custom AI chips

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chart showing relative efficiency of different kinds of processing units

Google has just release performance data for its Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) custom machine learning chips.

TPUs are

  • 15-20x faster than GPUs and CPUs when running deep learning applications
  • 30-80x more power efficient (operations per Watt)
  • frugal in terms of lines of code required to control them (their deep learning applications are implemented using 100-1500 lines)

Google claim that without these chips they would have to double the number of data centers they run.

Vote HAL 2030!

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robot canvassing for votes

Confused by the rapid evolution of politics in the past year? Well, things might get even wilder if robots get to vote in 2030.

I’d comment, but, in 2030, when this post is dug out of the archives, I don’t want to be pilloried for any anti-machine bigotry. Such views could even be fatal by then.

Amazon AI

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digital brain

Amazon is the latest company to offer developers access to AI services. There are four available.

  • Amazon Lex—Build conversational interfaces using voice and text, powered by the same deep learning technologies as Alexa
  • Amazon Rekognition—Deep learning-based image recognition
  • Amazon Polly—Turn text into lifelike speech using deep learning
  • Amazon Machine Learning—A scalable machine learning service for developers

Big data news sources

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newspaper in mailbox

Alice Kaerast from the Sky Betting & Gaming Engineering team has produced a comprehensive list of big data news sources, including

  • blogs
  • podcasts
  • newsletters

There were a couple of podcasts in it that I’ve added to my listening list. High praise indeed.

I wish more sources would make their content available via RSS feeds. I really don’t want news and articles in my inbox. If I can’t add it to my newsreader I probably won’t read it.