The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of AI

by Fei-Fei Li

The brain, therefore, was not the product of some mysterious intellectual spark from within, but rather a reaction to an ever clearer, ever more chaotic image of the outside world, reaching inward through the senses.

“Mom, I’m thinking about my options. I had an interview with all these … ‘firms,’ I guess you call them? Big Wall Street types. I have to admit, they’re tempting.” “Big … Wall Street types?” I realized I’d already stepped beyond her familiarity with the jargon of American culture. “You know, stocks and trading. Investments. That sorta thing. Obviously I’d have a lot to learn, but I think it’s something I could do if I really set my mind to it.” “Huh,” she replied flatly. “Is that what you want?” “Well, I mean … the salary alone would be life-changing for us, and—” “Fei-Fei, is it what you want?” “You know what I want, Mom. I want to be a scientist.” “So what are we even talking about?” My mother had a way of slicing through my equivocating so fast it would take me a second to recognize it. Checkmate in barely three moves. I was going to grad school.