Singularity Institute is now Machine Intelligence Research Institute

The new acronym for the Singularity Institute is MIRI.

The first google hit is the wikipedia page for the Star Trek: TOS episode Miri (S1E8). It's about how 90% of the population of not-Earth was destroyed by an existential threat leaving nothing but irrational children. The crew find themselves under a death sentence from this threat and try to find a solution, but they need the children's help. However the children think themselves immune and immortal and won't assist. In the last seconds, the crew manages to convince the children that the existential threat cannot be ignored and must be solved or the kids will eventually die too. With their help, the crew saves the day and everyone lives happily ever after. Also, the episode was so ahead of it's time that even though it was reviewed as excellent, it got so many complaints that it was never rebroadcast for 20 years.

I think my symbolism detector just pegged off the charts then exploded.

MIRI's number-one goal will be the discovery of a Consequentialist Anticipatory Logic that can save the world (codename, MIRI-CAL).

I think this is a good change. Bravo!

It will be hard not to refer to "Singinst" anymore as it did trip off the tougne, but I guess "The Singularity Institute for or against Artificial Intelligence, depending on which seems like a better idea at the time" was never really on the cards.

We wish, Dmytry.

I like it.

Does this mean I have to put both on my tax forms for donations this year?

This is an interesting example of how the changing definitions doesn't change reality. 'Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence' sounded all future-y to me, and 'Machine Intelligence Research Institute' sounds all technical and intelligent (silly stereotypes), but in reality they've not changed. Still the same people, doing the same things.

Gonna have to change the site name, though...

And "Machine Intelligence Research Institute" is appropriately descriptive while still being general enough.

MIRI. Machine Intelligence Research Institute.

Adequate. Not especially inspiring but I can't think of anything better either. It is certainly better than "Singularity Institute". (Good change!)

Don't forget to redo your credit card design, when you get around to it.

"Machine Intelligence" is my preferred term. "Singularity" seems like pseudoscientific terminology to me.

it's better to have a name that doesn't give a new person all kinds of weird initial associations as their first impression.

Yeah, though I buy into much of what Kurzweil has to say, Singularity has always rubbed me the wrong way - too much of Omega Immanentizing the Eschaton for me.

Is there any other snappy term out there for the idea that we're headed for very big changes through exponential performance improvement in lots of technologies?

Why "Machine" rather than "Artificial"?

Is it an acronym or initialism?

I personally dislike the change, but I trust that you guys have changed your names for a reason. I think I may be reacting negatively due to the nostalgia factor.

Good.

The name "Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence" seemed clunky to me from the moment I encountered it.

Too long. Two parts that don't work together, a first part with social acceptability issues, and a second part which has been taboo in leading tech circles since 1992.

It took me about half a year before I stopped typing siai.org when looking for the Institute's site.

Not to mention that SU took over the mindspace, and that SI occasionally strayed from the area implied by its name.

So, good job! I like it.

I wonder if anyone suggested the Council for Understanding Logic and Technology.

I just realized that "MIRI" is (perhaps intentionally) evocative of the word "mirror", which is all kinds of suitable.

I notice that http://www.miri.org is very definitely not a placeholder for a new Singularity Institute page. Have you managed to acquire it?

(miri.com seems as though it should be available, but not exactly entirely appropriate. Maybe better than nothing).

Now, all we need is a replacement for "Singularitarian" ... this, time, one that people can get right when they try to repeat it.

Looks like an attempt to get rid of the negative image associated with the name Singularity Institute. I wonder if it isn't already too late to take PR seriously.

Kinda awkward to say aloud. I think Institute for the Research of Machine Intelligence would sound better. Minor nitpick.

What MIRI really is is the Institute for study of emergent intelligences, whether machine, biological, hybrid or any other kind, but given how Eliezer dislikes the term emergence, I can see why EIRI would be a non-starter. Still, I like the new name better than the old one.

What if the Institute has lost its meaning and not the The Singularity?