Information Engines: Exploring Connections Between Intelligence and Thermodynamics
| Dates: | 26 March 2025 |
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| Times: | 14:00 - 15:00 |
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| What is it: | Seminar |
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| Organiser: | Department of Computer Science |
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| How much: | Free |
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| Who is it for: | University staff |
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| Speaker: | Professor Neil Lawrence |
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In this talk I’ll explore connections between thermodynamic systems and intelligent decision-making through the lens of free energy principles. We’ll review concepts from statistical mechanics - particularly the relationship between total energy, free energy, and entropy - might provide insights into the nature of intelligence and learning. By drawing parallels between physical systems and information processing, we’ll consider how measurement and observation can be viewed as processes that modify available energy. The discussion will touch on how model approximations and uncertainties might be understood through thermodynamic analogies, and explore the implications of treating intelligence as an energy-efficient state-change process. While these connections are speculative and preliminary, they may offer perspectives for discussing the fundamental nature of intelligence and learning systems. The talk will aim to stimulate discussion about these potential relationships rather than present definitive conclusions.
Speaker
Professor Neil Lawrence
Role: Inaugural DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning
Organisation: The University of Cambridge
Biography: Neil Lawrence is the inaugural DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning at the University of Cambridge. He has been working on machine learning models for over 20 years. He recently returned to academia after three years as Director of Machine Learning at Amazon. His main interest is the interaction of machine learning with the physical world. This interest was triggered by deploying machine learning in the African context, where ‘end-to-end’ solutions are normally required. This has inspired new research directions at the interface of machine learning and systems research, this work is funded by a Senior AI Fellowship from the Alan Turing Institute. Neil is also visiting Professor at the University of Sheffield and the co-host of Talking Machines.
Travel and Contact Information
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Kilburn Building
Manchester
