Robert J. Marks II

Robert J. Marks Ph.D. is Senior Fellow and Director of the Bradley Center and is Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Baylor University. Marks is a Fellow of both the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) and Optica (formerly the Optical Society of America). He was the former Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks and is the current Editor-in-Chief of BIO-Complexity. Marks is author of the books Non-Computable You: What You Do That Artificial Intelligence Never Will Never Do and The Case For Killer Robots. He is co-author of the books For a Greater Purpose: The Life and Legacy of Walter Bradley, Neural Smithing: Supervised Learning in Feedforward Artificial Neural Networks and Introduction to Evolutionary Informatics. For more information, see Dr. Marks’s expanded bio.

Archives

Transforming Industries with AI: Insights from Entrepreneur David Copps

_{Robert J. Marks
March 20, 2025}

On this episode, host Robert J. Marks concludes a three-part conversation with entrepreneur, technologist, and thought leader David Copps. Copps has over two decades of experience pioneering advancements in artificial intelligence and other technologies. In this final segment, Copps discusses how his companies have harnessed emerging AI technologies. He discusses Brainspace, a company Copps founded that created one of the world’s first semantic search engines using AI and latent semantic analysis to connect concepts and ideas across large document sets. Under Copps’s guidance, the company became a leader in the e-discovery industry. Copps also talks about his current company, Worlds, which is building an AI platform to connect directly to cameras and sensors in physical …

Monday Micro Softy 18: The Twin Paradox

_{It’s not Einstein’s Twin Paradox but it will certainly set you thinking anyway}_{Robert J. Marks
March 17, 2025}

About the mixed-up bags of marbles: The key question is, from which bag would drawing a marble give you the most information?

How to Build a Successful Startup in the Age of AI

_{Robert J. Marks
March 13, 2025}

Artificial intelligence is changing how businesses operate. But some best practices remain, no matter what the technology landscape looks like. On this episode, host Robert J. Marks continues his conversation with renowned entrepreneur, technologist, and thought leader David Copps. Copps has over two decades of experience pioneering advancements in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. In this segment, Copps advises entrepreneurs on what it takes to build a successful company today. He talks about solving problems using new technology in innovative ways. He emphasizes the importance of mindset and culture for a startup. He reminds listeners to be willing to pivot and adapt based on feedback from the market and from customers. Copps also touches on the challenges of …

America Must Be First to Beat the Looming Spectrum Crisis

_{AI and reconfigurable technology can help win the spectrum race}_{Robert J. Marks
March 11, 2025}

The spectrum used for wireless communication and radar is filling up fast and spectrum sharing offers a solution to the looming crisis.

Monday Micro Softy 17: Mixed-up Bags of Marbles

_{The bags-of-marbles puzzle is comparatively simple: How many marbles must you pull from the mislabeled bags in order to relabel them correctly?}_{Robert J. Marks
March 10, 2025}

There’s a rough solution to the “leaky bucket” problem but an exact solution requires some use of fluid dynamics. And the Moon, surprisingly, changes nothing.

Perspectives of a Different Kind of AI Entrepreneur

_{Robert J. Marks
March 6, 2025}

How can entrepreneurs incorporate the benefits of AI while maintaining their dedication to serving fellow human beings? On this episode of Mind Matters News, host Robert J. Marks welcomes David Copps, a renowned entrepreneur, technologist, and thought leader with over two decades of experience pioneering advancements in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. He’s the founder and CEO of a company called Worlds. Dave is at the forefront of AI-driven innovation, and that will be subject of our two-part conversation. In Part 1, Copps discusses a brain surgery that profoundly influenced his life and outlook. He talks about his appreciation for music and how that has strengthened his career. Through his study of anthropology and corporate culture in college, Copps …

Monday Microsofty 16: The Leaky Bucket

_{The puzzler must decide where to place the hole for maximum distance of outward flow. And explain how the problem would change on the Moon}_{Robert J. Marks
March 3, 2025}

One hint for the solution to the hot washer problem, given here, is the old trick for getting a tight lid off a jar: Running hot water over it.

Micro Softy 15: What Happens to the Hole in a Hot Washer?

_{When a washer ring is heated, does the hole in the center get bigger or smaller?}_{Robert J. Marks
February 24, 2025}

The answer to last week’s Micro Softy turns on the question of what form of currency Claire gave the blind ticket seller. Did you guess it right?

Monday Micro Softy 14: How Did the Blind Ticket Seller Know?

_{This puzzle doesn’t require math skills so much as advanced common sense reasoning}_{Robert J. Marks
February 17, 2025}

About last week’s solution, given here: If you code, the second part of the puzzle could also be offered to a computer.

Monday Micro Softy 13: Garbage Trucks, String Theory…

_{… and Stained-Glass Windows. What connects them?}_{Robert J. Marks
February 10, 2025}

These puzzles, associated with the great mathematician Leonard Euler (1707‒1783), have a practical use, for example, in laying water pipes.

How AI Can Complement Human Capabilities: More with Dr. Joe McDonald

_{Robert J. Marks
February 6, 2025}

On this episode, host Robert J. Marks concludes a conversation with psychologist Dr. Joe McDonald exploring the relationship between cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence (AI). The age of AI is upon us and is already changing the way we conduct our lives. What is the optimal division of tasks between humans and machines? In Part 2 of this interview, Dr. McDonald and Dr. Marks discuss the differences between how humans and AI process information. They review the unique abilities of humans that AI cannot replicate, while exploring how AI can be used to complement human capabilities. This is Part 2 of a two-part conversation. Additional Resources Joe McDonald at Jumpseat Research Listen to Part 1 of the conversation. Podcast TranscriptDownload …

AI Generated Content May Now Be Copyrighted

_{AI-generated work can be copyrighted if it involves “meaningful human authorship.”}_{Robert J. Marks
February 4, 2025}

The recent ruling is an important step in the right direction although much litigation will ensue.

Monday Micro Softy 12: Can You Connect the Dots?

_{You may use no more than four perfectly straight lines and the lines must be connected.}_{Robert J. Marks
February 3, 2025}

This classic puzzle in simple graph theory resulted in a commonly used phrase. Can you guess it?

Beyond the Physical: A Panel Discussion on the Nature of the Mind

_{Pat Flynn, Robert J. Marks and Brian Krouse
January 30, 2025}

Many proponents of artificial intelligence operate from an assumption that our own minds and conscious experience can be solely attributed to our physical brains. But is this assumption true? This question is the key focus of the book Minding the Brain, edited by our guests: Angus Menuge, Brian Krouse, and Robert J. Marks. Joining them to discuss this volume is today’s host, Pat Flynn. Minding the Brain aims to explore alternatives to physicalism/materialism in philosophy of mind, bringing together experts from various fields like computer science, neuroscience, and philosophy. The book aims to open up the discussion and show that physicalism is not the only viable option, encouraging interdisciplinary dialogue between science and philosophy of mind. Enjoy this discussion with …

Monday Micro Softy 11: What Happened to That Other Dollar?

_{Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy get the discount for their cheap hotel rooms but the figures don’t really add up}_{Robert J. Marks
January 27, 2025}

To solve this Micro Softy, you need to pinpoint the flaw in the logic that hinges on the Law of Conservation of Money.

Cognitive Psychology and the Limits of AI: An Interview with Dr. Joe McDonald

_{Robert J. Marks
January 23, 2025}

On this episode, host Robert J. Marks begins a conversation with Dr. Joe McDonald exploring the relationship between cognitive psychology and artificial intelligence (AI). Dr. Joe McDonald is an expert in cognitive psychology and human factors research. He is the CEO and Principal at Jumpseat Research, a firm that applies cognitive science principles to improve technology design and user experiences. Dr. McDonald has over 15 years of experience in this field, holds a PhD in Human Factors from Georgia Tech, and is passionate about empowering people through technology. This discussion covers the history and core principles of cognitive psychology, including how it challenged the behaviorist view by emphasizing the importance of internal mental processes. The interview also examines the …

The Monday Micro Softy 10: The Monte Hall Problem

_{In this case, it comes down to: How badly do you want a goat in your life?}_{Robert J. Marks
January 20, 2025}

Probability problems typically come down to analyzing the choices carefully and picking the most promising one.

The Hype and Limitations of Generative AI

_{Robert J. Marks and Gary Smith
January 16, 2025}

On this episode, host Robert J. Marks concludes his conversation with economics professor and author Gary Smith about the hype and limitations of generative AI. Smith is the Fletcher Jones Professor of Economics at Ponoma College and a frequent contributor to Mind Matters News. In this portion of the conversation, Smith and Marks explore the hype around artificial general intelligence (AGI) and explain how current large language models lack true reasoning and creative capabilities, despite regular claims of impending AGI from people like OpenAI’s Sam Altman. Smith provides examples demonstrating how these models make nonsensical or incorrect responses to logical problems and financial questions, highlighting their inability to understand context and perform meaningful reasoning. …

Monday Micro Softy 9: To Flip or Not to Flip?

_{Probability theory can sometimes help with seemingly impossible questions. But how?}_{Robert J. Marks
January 13, 2025}

About the answer to Micro Softy #8, ask yourself a question, "Who shaves the barber?"

The AI Bubble: Lessons from Past Financial Bubbles

_{Robert J. Marks
January 9, 2025}

In this installment of the Mind Matters News podcast, host Robert J. Marks begins a conversation with economics professor and author Gary Smith about the hype of generative AI and its impact on the market. Smith is the Fletcher Jones Professor of Economics at Ponoma College and a frequent contributor to Mind Matters News. Smith argues that generative AI, embodied in services like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, exhibits many characteristics of past market bubbles, including excessive hype, lack of profitability, and unrealistic expectations. Smith holds that generative AI models have limited practical economic value. They may be good at finding statistical patterns but struggle to distinguish meaningful, useful correlations from coincidental ones. Smith describes the fundamental …