Coding as a Game of Probability (robertmaple.co.uk)

by _under_scores_ 4 comments 14 points
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[−] derrak 55d ago

> Recently I’ve been thinking about coding with AI in terms of it being a process of navigating a tree of probabilistic outcomes.

I think this is the correct way to think about automated coding. The natural question is: why are we using a statistical model to control this search, and not a symbolic model?

Modern SAT and SMT solvers are excellent at searching spaces. There has already been work on biasing them with machine learning. Symbolic models for control, statistical models for bias. We should be thinking about how to apply this idea to practical, industrial software engineering tasks. There is already some work on program synthesis from formal specifications, but it has yet to scale.

[−] whattheheckheck 55d ago
Software and mind: the mechanistic myth
[−] derrak 54d ago
Looks interesting. Anything in particular from it that you think relates to my comment?
[−] whattheheckheck 53d ago
Program synthesis from formal specs is doomed to fail if im interpeting the books mechanistic myth correctly

What looked interesting in there to you?