# [[👤Gill Verdon]]: - [[Artificial Intelligence]] - [[👤Gill Verdon]] *** Gill Verdon, whose full name is Guillaume Verdon, is a prominent figure in the fields of quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and technological acceleration. Here's a comprehensive overview of his background and work: ## Education and Early Career Verdon has a strong academic background in physics and mathematics. He pursued graduate studies at the Institute for Quantum Computing and the University of Waterloo, focusing on quantum information and quantum field theory[2]. His research interests included quantum energy teleportation and continuous variable quantum information[2]. ## Professional Experience - **Founder and CEO of Extropic AI**: Verdon is currently leading Extropic, a stealth AI startup he founded in August 2022[2][3]. The company is working on enhancing large language models (LLMs) through thermodynamic computing[3]. - **Google/Alphabet X**: Prior to founding Extropic, Verdon worked in Physics and AI R&D at Google and Alphabet X[1][4]. During his time there, he contributed to quantum computing projects and founded TensorFlow Quantum[1][4]. - **Academic Research**: Verdon has an extensive research background, having worked as a graduate researcher at the Institute for Quantum Computing, University of Waterloo, and Perimeter Institute[2]. ## Scientific Contributions Verdon has made significant contributions to the field of quantum machine learning: - He co-authored papers on TensorFlow Quantum, a software framework for quantum machine learning[5]. - His work includes research on quantum graph neural networks and universal training algorithms for quantum deep learning[5]. - He has explored challenges and opportunities in quantum machine learning[5]. ## Effective Accelerationism (e/acc) Verdon is known for creating and promoting the concept of effective accelerationism (e/acc)[3][11]. This philosophy advocates for rapid technological progress as an ethically preferred path for human advancement. Key aspects of e/acc include: - Emphasizing optimism and proactive efforts to shape a better future through technology[3]. - Opposing regulations that might slow down technological advancements[11]. - Promoting decentralization in AI development[11]. ## Online Presence and Influence Verdon maintains an active online presence: - He is known for his Twitter persona @BasedBeffJezos, through which he promotes e/acc ideas[3][11]. - His views have gained attention from prominent figures in Silicon Valley, including Marc Andreessen and Garry Tan[11]. ## Current Work and Vision At Extropic AI, Verdon is working on developing new forms of computation, particularly thermodynamic computing[3][8]. His goals include: - Increasing the amount of intelligence per watt and the overall intelligence in the universe[3]. - Developing more efficient computing methods that could potentially revolutionize AI and machine learning[8]. Verdon's work and philosophy continue to spark discussions about the future of technology, AI ethics, and the role of rapid technological progress in shaping society. Citations: [1] https://twitter.com/gillverd [2] https://www.linkedin.com/in/gverdon [3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvVft_vISMM [4] https://x.com/GillVerd [5] https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=NiXejNwAAAAJ [6] https://www.reddit.com/r/singularity/comments/1d2i06d/gill_verdon_founder_of_effective_accelerationism/ [7] https://youtube.com/live/IZkw13uXAn8 [8] https://www.diamandis.com/podcast/gill-verdon [9] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZkw13uXAn8 [10] https://tammy.ai/science/space-exploration/guillaume-verdon-gil-the-physicist [11] https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2023/12/01/who-is-basedbeffjezos-the-leader-of-effective-accelerationism-eacc/ [12] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjVOfM2EBnE [13] https://lexfridman.com/guillaume-verdon-transcript/