Physicists and computer scientists are using stochastic thermodynamics to understand the energy costs of computation, with implications for designing more energy-efficient devices.
In this essay, Lance Fortnow, a computer scientist, argues that by embracing the computations that surround us, we can begin to understand and tame our seemingly random world. He discusses how even seemingly random events, like a coin flip or the mailing of a letter, can be seen as computational processes. The essay also touches on the progress made in artificial intelligence and machine learning, and how they are helping us manage randomness and complexity in our world.
