Michael Burry says AI has a reasoning problem: The clue dates back to 1880

Michael Burry has taken his warning on artificial intelligence a step further, using a 145-year-old case study to question whether the technology industry’s focus on large language models is taking AI in the wrong direction. In his latest post, titled “History Rhymes: Large Language Models Off to a Bad Start?”, Burry looked back at an 1880 New York Times story about Melville Ballard, a deaf and mute teacher who described having complex thoughts before he had learned formal language.

“This 145-year-old case study, presented at the Smithsonian Institute no less, provides a potentially devastating critique of today’s Large Language Models and the spending behind them,” Burry wrote.