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Neil Lawrence

@lawrennd.bsky.social
1.8K followers 222 following 152 posts

Professor of Machine Learning, University of Cambridge, academic lead of ai@cam, Accelerate Science, author of The Atomic Human, proceedings editor for PMLR.

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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Volume 348 proceedings.mlr.press/v348 Proceedings of the Fourth UK AI Conference Is now available on PMLR
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of the Fourth UK AI Conference 2026 Held in The Hilton Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom on 29-30 September 2026 Published as Volume 348 by the Proceedings of Machine Learning Researc...
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Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery @acceleratescience.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
📢New blog! Zhongying Deng developed SAM-Brain3D, a new AI model that surpasses current methods for detecting brain diseases like Alzheimer's. Supported by the @acceleratescience.bsky.social -C2D3 funding call, the work moves closer to earlier diagnosis. Find out more: bit.ly/4ryJwAd
How can we... use AI for the early detection of neurodegenerative diseases? An Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery blog post by Zhongying Deng, Post-doctoral Research Associate in the Department of Radiology. Click to link to read the full post and find out more.
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Alondra Nelson @alondra.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
The idea that people want AI oversight to happen "all of a sudden" ignores years of research, warnings, and policy efforts. The delay hasn’t been a lack of awareness; it’s been because of years of industry lobbying against regulation, political resistance, and inaction.
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ai@cam @ai.cam.ac.uk · 25/09/2026
Promising medical innovations have the potential to improve #patientcare - but getting them into clinical use can mean navigating complex regulatory requirements. Could #AI help remove some of those barriers? Find out more in our latest blog: www.ai.cam.ac.uk/blog/breakin...
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Nils Gilman @nilsgilman.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
“Computers bring interesting solutions, and there are many areas where we can deploy them,” observes @lawrennd.bsky.social. “But the people who are in control of the deployment of these things are perhaps the least socially intelligent people we have on the planet.” www.forbes.com/sites/pialau...
forbes.com
An AI Professor’s Guide To Saving Humanity From Big Tech
Every time Big Tech dip their fingers into the hardest problems in society, they mess it up big time, says Neil Lawrence. Here’s his four-step guide to saving humanity.
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Volume 340 Proceedings of the 11th Machine Learning for Healthcare Conference (MLHC 2026). proceedings.mlr.press/v340/ Is now available on PMLR.
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of the 11th Machine Learning for Healthcare Conference Held in The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA on 12-14 August 2026 Published as Volume 340 by the Proce...
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Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery @acceleratescience.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
📢 New blog! Tomisin Dada is exploring how machine learning can help solve AC optimal power flow, a key challenge for power grid operators.⚡ Working with @lawrennd.bsky.social, he's developed a solver combining ML efficiency with conventional reliability. Find out more: bit.ly/4gJQPQQ
How can we... use machine learning to make energy grids more efficient? Shows photo of blog post author Tomisin Dada, PhD Student in the Department of Computer Science and Technology. Click the link to read the full blog post on the Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery website.
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 23/08/2026
Volume 341 Proceedings of the International Conference on Probabilistic Numerics 2026 proceedings.mlr.press/v341/ Is now available on PMLR
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Probabilistic Numerics Held in LUT University, Lappeenranta, Finland on 09-11 September 2026 Published as Volume 341 by the Proceedings of Machine Le...
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M. K. @mk.emkapro.de · 19/08/2026
I just finished reading @lawrennd.bsky.social‘s book ‚The Atomic Human‘ - Understanding ourselves in the age of AI. My understanding of machines and their interface with humans has also been sharpened. Very insightful and highly recommended!
Shows the book *The Atomic Human* by Neil D. Lawrence
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Tim Davies @timdavies.org.uk · 10/08/2026
"Shifting how we deploy our individual attention is central to public aspirations for AI." Really enjoying this piece from @lawrennd.bsky.social & @jessrmorley.bsky.social: 'Mind the gap: connecting AI innovation to widespread public value' academic.oup.com/spp/advance-...
academic.oup.com
Mind the gap: connecting AI innovation to widespread public value
Abstract. Public dialogues have produced clear demand signals for AI. These dialogues imagine innovations that improve our shared wellbeing and prosperity
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ai@cam @ai.cam.ac.uk · 31/07/2026
💡Have an idea for using #AI to enhance teaching and learning? We're offering up to £10,000 to support practical, educator-led projects exploring AI in education at @cam.ac.uk 📅 Applications close 24 September ➡️ www.ai.cam.ac.uk/calls/ai-for...
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Shannon Vallor @shannonvallor.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
This is so frustrating to read from The New Yorker. Reward hacking *long* predates LLMs. The Coast Runners paper on reward hacking (in reinforcement learning, pre-LLMs) is 10 years old! Reward hacking is not new, and not a sign of a breakthrough intelligence, much less sentience. Did AI write this?
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
An important message. The phenomenon is a repeat pattern for UK … I worry that it’s because there’s a sensitive breed of superficial ‘experts’ that doesn’t like it when their confident pronouncements are undermined by data and evidence. (feel free to undermine this idea with data and evidence)
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Vukosi Marivate @vukosi.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
How online betting is destroying young people's lives in South Africa | DW Reporter www.youtube.com/watch?v=-13y...
youtube.com
How online betting is destroying young people's lives in South Africa | DW Reporter
Sisanda Lwana lost over 7000 Euros betting online - and overcame her addiction. Her story brings to light the dark side of the gambling industry. Artikeltext The dream of getting rich…
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
The challenge of the "social productivity paradox" in AI and our ideas about how to address it with an "attention reinvestment cycle" are now available in Science and Public Policy. academic.oup.com/spp/advance-...
academic.oup.com
Mind the gap: connecting AI innovation to widespread public value
Abstract. Public dialogues have produced clear demand signals for AI. These dialogues imagine innovations that improve our shared wellbeing and prosperity
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Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery @acceleratescience.bsky.social · 24/07/2026
New report just out from the @ai.cam.ac.uk team exploring what the public wants from AI in local government. ➡️ Check out the thread below and the full report for further insights.
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
I've really enjoyed this public dialogue we convened in collaboration with Hopkins van Mil. Here's our full report on what the public think about the use of AI in Local Government.
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
Did @cbsnews.com.web.brid.gy with Major Garrett last night on the OpenAI/Hugging Face cybersecurity event. Interview available here www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH9A...
youtube.com
Machine learning professor breaks down OpenAI model's hack of another AI company
YouTube video by CBS News
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Spent a day being a media talking head on the OpenAI / @hf.co hack. It's another example of how the way we think about #AISafety is failing. It's idealised, and doesn't fit how companies operate. More details in my recent Trent AI blog here: trent.ai/blog/judgmen...
trent.ai
The Judgment Layer: Rethinking AI Safety for Agentic Systems | Trent AI
As AI agents become more autonomous, safety depends on preserving human judgment. Learn why the judgment layer is essential for secure agentic AI.
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ai@cam @ai.cam.ac.uk · 22/07/2026
OpenAI's latest #AI security incident has sparked renewed debate about AI safety. Our Chair of ai@cam, @lawrennd.bsky.social, spoke to #BBCNews about what this reveals about today's AI models & why commercial pressure must not come at the expense of safe deployment. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
OpenAI says its AI went rogue and launched 'unprecedented' cyber-attack
It is one of the first publicly disclosed cyber-attacks carried out by AI without direct human involvement.
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Great thread to summarise
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Timnit Gebru @timnitgebru.blacksky.app · 21/07/2026
Weeks ago, @chanda.blacksky.app sent me this declaration, written and signed by a bunch of mathematicians. But I only had time to read it yesterday, which ended up being right on time given a new round of hype falling exactly under the patterns this document notes.🧵 leidendeclaration.ai
leidendeclaration.ai
Leiden Declaration on Artificial Intelligence and Mathematics
This declaration calls for action to address the challenges posed by the use of artificial intelligence within mathematics research.
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ai@cam @ai.cam.ac.uk · 21/07/2026
‼️Don't miss your chance to join our AI-deas Sprint FAQ session tomorrow! If you have an #AI research idea & considering applying for up to £25,000, this is your opportunity to ask questions & find out more. 🕤 9.30am | Wed 22 July 📍 Zoom ➡️ Register here cam-ac-uk.zoom.us/meeting/regi...
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 21/07/2026
Volume 326 Proceedings of Second Workshop on Geometry-grounded Representation Learning and Generative Modeling proceedings.mlr.press/v326/ Is now available on PMLR
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of GRaM: the Second Edition of the Workshop on Geometry-grounded Representation Learning and Generative Modeling Held in Riocentro Convention and Event Center, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 26...
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 20/07/2026
Volume 323 proceedings.mlr.press/v323 Proceedings of Causal Learning and Reasoning 2026 Is now available on PMLR.
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of the Fifth Conference on Causal Learning and Reasoning Held in Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, USA on 06-08 April 2026 Published as Volume 323 by the Proceedings of Machin...
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Bedford Skeptics @bedfordskeptics.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Huge thanks to @lawrennd.bsky.social for a brilliant and very well attended talk last night. We're back in Sept. with @variolator.bsky.social who'll be telling us about 'The Common Cold: 30,000 Years of the Sniffles' - sitp.online/sitp/bedford/
sitp.online
Bedford Skeptics - Skeptics in the Pub Online
We’re a group of free-thinking people in Bedford who like to get together in a casual atmosphere and talk about interesting things. We find a speaker – typically a scientist or prominent skeptic who w...
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ai@cam @ai.cam.ac.uk · 13/07/2026
How should teaching & learning evolve in a world with AI? We're offering up to £10,000 to test new teaching approaches with #AI. Open to academics, examiners, education managers & course administrators - anyone who shapes the teaching experience! Find out more ⬇️ www.ai.cam.ac.uk/calls/ai-for...
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Verity Harding @verityharding.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Prof @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social argues in her essay that the arms race framing not only distorts politics, but also actively undermines economic security.
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Bedford Skeptics @bedfordskeptics.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
We're back this week. Come along on Thurs. 16th July (no football that night) when @lawrennd.bsky.social will explain 'What an I Can Do That A.I. Can’t'. sitp.online/sitp/bedford/
sitp.online
Bedford Skeptics - Skeptics in the Pub Online
We’re a group of free-thinking people in Bedford who like to get together in a casual atmosphere and talk about interesting things. We find a speaker – typically a scientist or prominent skeptic who w...
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Royal Statistical Society @royalstatsoc.bsky.social · 10/07/2026
AI regulation needs statistics. Without robust evaluation of performance, fairness and uncertainty, the most important questions about AI remain unanswered. Read our new report 👉 rss.org.uk/news-publica... Browse the gallery below to explore our case studies and recommendations 👇
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Bedford Skeptics @bedfordskeptics.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
As always, thanks to @bedfordindependent.co.uk for including next week's talk with @lawrennd.bsky.social in their indispensable What's On guide.
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Diane Coyle @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Small nutshell here; both reports mentioned are online with summaries www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/c...
project-syndicate.org
Can the Manchester Model Save Britain?
Diane Coyle considers some of the lessons Andy Burnham should take with him to Downing Street.
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Richard Jones @richardaljones.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Some commentary from me on Andy Burnham's big economics speech, focusing on his theory of local economic growth, the role of universities, innovation and skills. With some history of what's behind this policy agenda softmachines.org?p=3324
softmachines.org
Five glosses on Andy Burnham’s big speech – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Good analysis from @richardaljones.bsky.social on @andyburnham.bsky.social’s economic and innovation policy agenda including this lovely reference to @dianecoyle1859.bsky.social softmachines.org?p=3324
A nice reflection of Burnham's engagement with this body of work can be seen in an appearance he made a few months ago at Cambridge University's Bennett Institute of Public Policy, where he was in conversation with the economist Diane Coyle. In reply to the question, "How do you account for Manchester's economic success?" , he
replied "We just did what you told us to do, Diane"
• This was not just flattery;
Diane Coyle was one of the key contributors to two important economic reports that have guided strategy in Greater Manchester, the
2009 Independent Economic Review, and the 2019 Independent Prosperity Review. This underlines the importance of evidence and external input in guiding GM's economic strategy, which goes back well before Burnham's time as Mayor. Greater Manchester has never
"had enough of experts"
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Volume 333 Proceedings of Conference on Health, Inference, and Learning 2026 proceedings.mlr.press/v333/ Is now available on PMLR
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of the 7th Conference on Health, Inference, and Learning Held in Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, USA on 29-30 June 2026 Published as Volume 333 by the Proceedings of Machin...
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Bedford Skeptics @bedfordskeptics.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
We're back this month. Come along on Thurs. 16th July when @lawrennd.bsky.social will explain 'What an I Can Do That A.I. Can’t'. sitp.online/sitp/bedford/ Nothing artificial about this talk, folks. #AI
sitp.online
Bedford Skeptics - Skeptics in the Pub Online
We’re a group of free-thinking people in Bedford who like to get together in a casual atmosphere and talk about interesting things. We find a speaker – typically a scientist or prominent skeptic who w...
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Volume 319 Proceedings of IndabaX Nigeria 2026 proceedings.mlr.press/v319 are now available on PMLR @deeplearningindaba.bsky.social
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of IndabaX Nigeria 2026: Building Scalable AI That Works: From Research to Deployment in Resource-Constrained Environments Held in University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria on 11-14 May 2026 P...
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
Volume 325 Proceedings of Geometry, Topology, and Machine Learning 2025 proceedings.mlr.press/v325/ Is now available on PMLR.
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of the Geometry, Topology, and Machine Learning Workshop Held in Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences, Leipzig, Germany on 10-14 November 2025 Published as Volume 325 by th...
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ai@cam @ai.cam.ac.uk · 16/06/2026
🚀 Round two of the AI-deas Sprint Programme is now open for applications! 🚀 Got an #AI research idea with real-world potential? We're offering Cambridge researchers up to £25,000 to build a working prototype. Find out more and apply here ➡️ www.ai.cam.ac.uk/calls/ai-dea...
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 09/06/2026
Volume 331 Proceedings of Learning for Dynamics and Control 2026 proceedings.mlr.press/v331/ Is now available on PMLR.
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of The 8th Annual Learning for Dynamics and Control Conference Held in Los Angeles, California, USA on 17-19 June 2026 Published as Volume 331 by the Proceedings of Machine Learning Resear...
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Volume 308 proceedings.mlr.press/v308/ Proceedings of Neuro for AI & AI for Neuro Is now available on PMLR.
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of the First Workshop on NeuroAI Multimodal Intelligence @ AAAI 2026 Held in Singapore on 27 January 2026 Published as Volume 308 by the Proceedings of Machine Learning Research on 18 May ...
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Bennett School of Public Policy, University of Cambridge @bennettschool.cam.ac.uk · 25/05/2026
At our Annual Conference, Andy Burnham proposed a shift away from Westminster’s top-down mandates toward a place-based model. In a new blog, @drbethkitson.bsky.social & @ojgarling.bsky.social look at whether "Manchesterism" could fix Westminster. Read: bit.ly/4uycnFJ
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 13/05/2026
My letter to the Financial Times was published today on centralised vs devolved AI deployment. www.ft.com/content/75eb...
ft.com
Letter: A mistake markets make when they value software groups
From Neil Lawrence, DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning, University of Cambridge; Chair, ai@cam, Cambridge, UK
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Volume 315 proceedings.mlr.press/v315/ Proceedings of MIDL 2026 Is now available on PMLR
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of The 9th International Conference on Medical Imaging with Deep Learning Held in Chientan, Taipei, Taiwan on 08-10 July 2026 Published as Volume 315 by the Proceedings of Machine Learning...
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Volume 313 proceedings.mlr.press/v313/ Proceedings of Algorithmic Learning Theory 2026 Is now available on PMLR
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Proceedings of The 37th International Conference on Algorithmic Learning Theory Held in Fields Institute, Toronto, Canada on 23-26 February 2026 Published as Volume 313 by the Proceedings of Machine L...
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Volume 328 proceedings.mlr.press/v328/ Proceedings of the Third Conference on Parsimony and Learning Is now available on PMLR
proceedings.mlr.press
Proceedings of Machine Learning Research
Conference on Parsimony and Learning Held in T{"u}bingen, Germany on 23-26 March 2026 Published as Volume 328 by the Proceedings of Machine Learning Research on 06 April 2026. Volume Edited by: Rebekk...
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ai@cam @ai.cam.ac.uk · 28/04/2026
New on the blog! Earlier this month, @lawrennd.bsky.social gave evidence to the Business and Trade Select Committee. ➡️ Hear his recent reflections on the missing half of #AIPolicy. www.ai.cam.ac.uk/blog/ai-poli...
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Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery @acceleratescience.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
📢 A few spaces left for our Multi-Agent Systems for Scientific Research Hackathon on 11 May! LLMs perform well on benchmarks. The harder problem: orchestrating multiple agents across complex, multi-step research workflows. Find out more and register: bit.ly/4vTehl8
Accelerate Programme for Scientific Discovery's Multi-Agent Systems for Scientific Research Hackathon, Monday 11 May 2026, Intel Labs, William Gates Building. Click the link to find out more and register.
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Neil Lawrence @lawrennd.bsky.social · 27/04/2026
New paper in The Inaccessible Game series: Starting from a small tautology — a self-adjudicating system can’t seek external arbitration — I arrive at a “No Barber Principle” for avoiding Russell-style paradoxes. It connects entropy, copying, and Lawvere inverseprobability.com/2026/04/27/n...
inverseprobability.com
Tautology, Barbers, Impredicativity and Self-Adjudication
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Hadi Sotoudeh @mhsotoudeh.bsky.social · 23/04/2026
If you're at ICLR and curious about physics foundation models, come by: 🗓️ Sunday, April 26 📍 Room 201 A+B 🕘 9:45–10:35 A pleasure to work on this with @payelm.bsky.social, @rubenohana.bsky.social, @michael-mccabe.bsky.social, @lawrennd.bsky.social, Shirley Ho, and @milescranmer.bsky.social. 6/6
Closing slide with paper title, author list, links for paper and poster, and invitation to visit the work at the ICLR 2026 AI & PDE Workshop.
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