So you want to do AI research? It’s true that no one really teaches you how. Not directly, anyway. But it turns out that the way to get started is pretty simple: some combination of (i) reading and (ii) building stuff. You can’t do one without the other. You become a researcher through the combination. It turns out the process of becoming a great researcher is not unlike learning to meditate: I. The way to get started is pretty simple, through some combination of (a) reading and learning, and (b) building stuff. You can’t only do one. You’ll become a researcher through this combination. There’s an old Zen saying that goes something like this – on days we find insight, we sit. on days we do not find insight, we sit. Doing research is basically like this. Scientific insights can come seemingly at random. Most days they will not come. An important trait for success is just putting in the time & effort.…