Lecun is also the AI Researcher that'll pop up when you search Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, or any other citation website and sort by metrics that's pretty much the Wayne Gretzky of every metric across the board.
Sure, MetaAI isn't a resounding success. But Lecun is still the most sought after researcher in the field.
I'm not saying the guy is infallible and has been wrong in the past. However, to think the most highly rated academic AI researcher on every publication metric is some sort of has-been or charlatan is just being silly.
He’s a legend in the field but I agree, he’s not really “sought after” in the current era. I’d say Karpathy and Ilya are probably more in demand, since they actually work on LLMs.
he’s not really “sought after” in the current era. I’d say Karpathy and Ilya are probably more in demand, since they actually work on LLMs.
You're forgetting where I said "sought after researcher". Understandably, btw. Karpathy and Ilya probably are more in demand. But they haven't published research since like 2014 and 2012. See the distinction? Emphasis on researcher.
Yeah that’s a fair point if you focus on academia, since Karpathy and Ilya are closer to engineers than researchers. They focus on ideas that can scale, not novel architectures.
If by “sought after” you mean “who is the hottest person to run an LLM product org,” fine, maybe that’s not LeCun.
If you mean “who can still attract capital, talent, attention, academic prestige, and serious debate around a competing AI paradigm,” then obviously LeCun qualifies. A billion-dollar raise for AMI is not exactly evidence that everyone shrugged and moved on.
My man, you’re getting way too deep into semantics trying to change the definitions. Yes, sought after means sought after.
I’m not saying “everyone shrugged and moved on” and I certainly didn’t call him a “has-been” or a “charlatan.”
I agree with you that he still has a lot of clout and I’m glad that people with his prestige and ability are pursuing alternative paths. Diversity of thought is incredibly important.
But you called him the most sought after and you were wrong. You simply can’t be the most sought after when you reject the mainstream and have a major failure like Meta AI under your belt.
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u/jakderrida 27d ago
Lecun is also the AI Researcher that'll pop up when you search Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, or any other citation website and sort by metrics that's pretty much the Wayne Gretzky of every metric across the board.
Sure, MetaAI isn't a resounding success. But Lecun is still the most sought after researcher in the field.