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The Role of AI as an Externalized Cognitive Tool in Science
The Role of AI as an Externalized Cognitive Tool in Science
 ### François Chollet@fchollet
Basically, consider a high-profile scientific problem (one that is getting enough attention from smart humans and their externalized cognitive infrastructure). How good is human Science at converting the information available about the problem into generalizable models of the phenomenon at hand?
I'd argue it is very good, already near-optimal. Our inability to solve certain hard problems stems more from lack of information than low ability to operationalize available information. If the solution is already "within" the information we have, it's only a matter of time until Science figures it out.
Also do note that this is inclusive of current AI, because current AI is an externalized cognitive tool leveraged by humans. "AI for science" is making us smarter as a collective.
Mar 29, 2026, 6:20 PM View on X
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10.3K Views  François Chollet @fchollet
One Sentence Summary
François Chollet argues that human science is already near-optimal at modeling phenomena, and current AI serves as an essential externalized cognitive tool to bridge information gaps.
Summary
In this thread, François Chollet explores the efficiency of human scientific inquiry. He posits that the primary bottleneck in solving complex scientific problems is the availability of information, not the capacity to process it. He frames current AI as an 'externalized cognitive tool' that enhances our collective intelligence, rather than a replacement for the scientific method itself, suggesting that our progress is fundamentally limited by information access rather than cognitive processing power.
AI Score
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Influence Score 19
Published At Yesterday
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English
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François Chollet
AI for Science
Scientific Method
Cognitive Tools
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