George Montañez

George D. Montañez is an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science at Harvey Mudd College and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Cambridge (Dept. of Computer Science and Technology & Clare Hall) during the 2025-2026 academic year. He is a former data scientist with Microsoft AI + Research and now hosts the science and Christian apologetics YouTube channel Theos Theory. He obtained a PhD in machine learning from Carnegie Mellon University, with additional degrees in computer science from the University of California-Riverside and Baylor University. His work is at the intersection of machine learning, information theory, and statistical design detection. You can find more of his writings and academic papers at Substack and Google Scholar.

Archives

Bingecast: George Montañez on Intelligence and the Turing Test

George Montañez and Robert J. Marks
June 25, 2020
What do computer scientists say about the ability of machines to think? Alan Turing, the father of modern computer science, tackled the question in 1950 and proposed the Turing test as an answer. Is the Turing test important today? Can a deeper undertanding of intelligence be culled for the Turing test? Robert J. Marks discusses the Turing test, artificial intelligence, and intelligent design with Dr. George Montañez. Show Notes 00:54 | Introducing Dr. George Montañez, Iris and Howard Critchell Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Harvey Mudd College 01:13 | The LICORS cabinet 02:17 | Detecting Intelligence 02:38 | What is the Turing test? 03:25 | The Imitation Game 03:47 | Ensuring unbiased results 04:35 | How to determine if you are talking to a …

The Turing Test, Artificial Intelligence, and Intelligent Design

Robert J. Marks and George Montañez
October 10, 2019
Artificial intelligence and intelligent design both refer to the idea of “intelligence.” Is there a deeper understanding of intelligence that can be culled from the Turing test? Robert J. Marks discusses the Turing test, artificial intelligence, and intelligent design with Dr. George Montañez. Show Notes 00:33 | Introducing Dr. George Montañez, Iris and Howard Critchell Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Harvey Mudd College00:57 | What is the Turing test?02:13 | Artificial intelligence and intelligent design02:50 | Causal theory of intelligent design03:14 | Historical theory of intelligent design03:43 | Three flavors of intelligent design03:54 | Directed panspermia: Was life planted by aliens?04:25 | Elon Musk: Are we living in a simulation?04:44 | The Turing test, …

Can Machines Think?

Robert J. Marks and George Montañez
October 3, 2019
What do computer scientists say about the ability of machines to think? Alan Turing, the father of modern computer science, tackled the question in 1950 and proposed the Turing test as an answer. Is the Turing test important today? Robert J. Marks discusses the Turing test with Dr. George Montañez. Show Notes 00:55 | Introducing Dr. George Montañez, Iris and Howard Critchell Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Harvey Mudd College01:31 | The LICORS cabinet02:19 | Detecting Intelligence02:38 | What is the Turing test?03:26 | The Imitation Game03:48 | Ensuring unbiased results04:36 | How to determine if you are talking to a computer05:18 | Do chatbots pass the Turing test?06:18 | Selmer Bringsjord’s view of the Turing test06:53 | Eugene Goostman — Did this chatbot …

AI: Think About Ethics Before Trouble Arises

A machine learning specialist reflects on Micah 6:8 as a guide to developing ethics for the rapidly growing profession
George Montañez
January 7, 2019
To love mercy sometimes means to give up efficiency. It could mean losing a few points of model accuracy by refusing to take into account features that invade privacy or are proxies for race, leading to discriminatory model behavior. But that’s OK. The merciful are willing to give up some of their rights and advantages so they can help others.  

What is Learning Anyway?

Machine learning specialist George Montañez reflects on the question in a video excerpt from the CNAI gala
George Montañez and Mind Matters
September 7, 2018
Can we make approximations that are so close to ourselves that the fact that they are approximations no longer matters?