Letters
The Spirit of Giving in AI and Beyond
As we approach the end of 2021, you may be winding down work and gearing up for the winter holiday. I’m looking forward to taking a break from work and hope you are too.
Personal Insights
Letters
Solving AI Problems With Civility
I’m grateful to the AI community for the friendships it has brought me and the benefits it has brought to billions of people. But members of the AI community don’t always honor one another.
Letters
Background Music: Pleasure or Pitfall?
Years ago, whenever I had to do something boring or unpleasant — such as drive to work or go for a run — I used to listen to music to provide a distraction. Although I still appreciate music, as I got older I decided to cut out distractions.
Letters
Are You OK? Taking Care of Emotional and Mental Health
Since the pandemic started, several friends and teammates have shared with me privately that they were not doing well emotionally. I’m grateful to each person who trusted me enough to tell me this. How about you — are you doing okay?
Letters
Make Every Day Count
Last Sunday was my birthday. That got me thinking about the days leading to this one and those that may lie ahead.As a reader of The Batch, you’re probably pretty good at math. But let me ask you a question, and please answer from your gut, without calculating.
Letters
Privilege and Obligation
Over the past weekend, I happened to walk by a homeless encampment and went over to speak with some of the individuals there. I spoke with a homeless man who seemed to be partially speaking with me, and partially speaking with other people that I could not see.
Letters
The Power of Gratitude
Every year for the past decade, I flew to Singapore or Hong Kong to celebrate my mother’s birthday with her on December 22. This year, for the first time, we did it via Zoom.
Letters
The Power of Sleep
I received a copy of Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams as a Christmas gift — back in the pre-Covid era — and finished it last weekend. This book by Matthew Walker, director of UC Berkeley’s sleep and neuroimaging lab, is a useful reminder of the importance of sleep...
Letters
Staying Connected Amid the Pandemic
I recently received an email from one of you who lives far from the major AI hubs, saying, “I feel like I’m all alone.” I want to tell you all...
Letters
Covid-19: How to Flatten the Curve
In the earlier weeks of Covid-19, I didn’t want to contribute noise, so that experts in infectious disease could be heard. But now the situation has worsened. I spoke yesterday with Eric Topol, a cardiologist at Scripps Institute and author of Deep...
Letters
The Key to Longevity
Happy New Year!Every winter holiday, I pursue a learning goal around a new topic. In between visits with family, I end up reading a lot.
Letters
Does Your Project Bring Joy?
I just replaced my two-year-old phone with a new one and figured out how to take long-exposure photos of Nova even while she’s asleep and the lights are very low. This piece of technology brought me a surprising amount of joy!