In 2002, artificial Intelligence is still in winter. Despite decades of hard work, dreams have given computer dreams with human cognition and real-world understanding. In order to find a way forward, a small group of scientists gathered to attend the “St. Thomas Common Sense Workshop.” AI pioneer Marvin Minsky and his Protégé Pushpinder Singh are central existence. After the workshop, Minsky, Singer and famous philosopher Aaron Sloman published a paper introducing the group’s ideas about how to achieve human-like AI.
The paper tells the story of AI’s struggle at the beginning of this century. But today’s sentence is indeed very prominent. “The generous support of Jeffrey Epstein made this meeting possible,” the author said in a brief acknowledgment. In fact, the seminar itself was held in the Virgin Islands, where Epstein’s now infamous island retreat was located. Looking back at this event, it reveals information about the status of AI, as well as the executable funders of the workshop.
To shame the technology and science community, a greedy sexual predator manages to build relationships with some of the most prominent and influential figures in the field. Epstein’s connections, including Bill Gates and Minsky, have been well documented. Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre instructed her instructed to have sex with Minsky on Epstein Island. Minsky’s wife – He accompanied scientists when he visited Epstein, who only went to New York and Palm Beach residences, a charge he strongly denied, which was raised shortly before Minsky’s death and was not revealed until long later. Epstein died in prison in 2019 (don’t ask me to break down a conspiracy theory in brackets), and Giuffre tragically took his own life in 2025.
For Epstein’s vast majority of scientific and technological connections, the professional association with sexual predators became embarrassing, even abominable fact. Epstein penetrates the inner world of these worlds, providing a bold name for small gatherings. (I myself was at the 2002 “Billionaire Dinner” held by Ted, with Epstein with Sergey Brin, Jeff Bezos, Jeff Bezos, Rupert Murdoch, singer Naomi Judd and renowned scientists, including some flying in Epstein. Epstein largely funded Brockman’s nonprofit scientific foundation.
One of my sources who knows Epstein well explains that this financier seems obsessed with scientists. Sources claim to know nothing about his crimes. They agreed to discuss Epstein only in anonymity. “I’ve experienced this weird, rich man who likes to be with interesting people and scientists and has a lot of questions about the world,” the source said. “He is interested in the character of a scientist, just like his works.” Epstein himself clearly understood why he was popular in those circles. “I’m not just a science amateur. But I know the money,” he told reporter Jeffrey Mervis in 2017. [and] I’m a good mathematician. ”
Invitation only
Epstein’s ghost was cast in a 2002 seminar. But how did the incident even happen? My source gave me a backstory that I had not reported before. “Jeffrey once said how much he liked Marvin and how much he loved the people he talked to about AI,” the source said. The topic wasn’t very popular in those years. My source said: “It’s people who are really skeptical about whether AI has legs.” So the idea is to hold a small AI party with Minsky at the center. (It is unclear whether the funding for the campaign comes from a $100,000 donation from Epstein to support Minksy’s research.)
After some deliberation, it was decided that the event would focus on the ideas of Minsky star student Singh. In 1996, Singh wrote a short paper titled “Why AI fails.” He believes that in order to gain human-like wisdom, “we need systems with common sense knowledge and flexible methods of using it. The trouble is that building such a system is equivalent to ‘solving AI’.” He writes, which is difficult, “we have no choice, we have no choice but to face to face. ” (Bill Gates saw the paper and commented: “I think your observations on the AI field are correct.”)
It is presumed that the St. Thomas workshop is a way to face the problem head-on. But events are difficult to organize. The early list of possible participants lacks the power of the star and must increase. Eventually, the guest list grew to include famous AI theorist Roger Schank, whose prosecutor was arrested for attending events and briefly spelled in Trump University’s chief study officer. Another participant was Doug Lenat, the inventor of the ambitious CYC project, which involved humans struggling to type explanations of everyday objects into databases for AI research. Science fiction writer Vernor Vinge also attended the meeting, and he appreciated the concept of AI singularity. British philosopher Sloman is now close to 90 years old and is one of his later members. He emailed me earlier this week: “I’m not on Epstein’s original invitation list.” “I was included in Marvin Minsky’s suggestion, partly because I was helping overseeing his student at that time.” Sloman said his memory of the incident was weak. But, he recalls: “I seem to remember Epstein providing a wealth of resources, including taking us to the location using a private jet.”
