If you want to engage in AI, don’t study data science in high school: Altman and Musk finally agree now

Can studying data science in high school replace mathematics? The discussion on this topic has extended to the AI ​​circle.

For the development of AI, it will be too late if we don’t strengthen basic education.

While large model technology is developing rapidly and companies are competing fiercely, some people have come forward to express concerns about future talents, with the focus being on mathematics.

Recently, the University of California (UC) system has caused an uproar with the news that it has set basic mathematics standards for entering freshmen. With math scores declining nationwide, some educators believe standard algebra-intensive math education needs reform, both to attract more students and to help them develop relevant skills for an increasingly data-reliant future.

Some organizations say that at least 17 states have made "data science" an optional course in high school mathematics education, and Oregon and Ohio have even made it an alternative course to Algebra II. This approach was opposed by the University of California.

Someone issued an open letter calling for the need to ensure the mathematics level of undergraduate freshmen: Don’t include the data science learned in advance in high school into the category of “mathematics”. Without basic mathematics level, it is difficult to learn AI.

Although the legal battle is still ongoing, both Altman and Musk are on the list of signatories of this open letter - it seems that the heroes have the same view.

In addition, important figures in academia and industry who support this initiative include Apple machine learning executive Samy Bengio, Microsoft vice president of generative artificial intelligence Sébastien Bubeck, NVIDIA chief scientist Bill Dally, Google chief scientist Jeff Dean, Turing Award winner, Meta chief scientist Yann LeCun, xAI co-founder Greg Yang and others.

The founder, CEO, and CTO of Yishui shows how seriously the industry takes this matter.

The full content of the open letter is as follows:

Artificial intelligence is about to change the society we live in. To prepare for the future, we must educate the people who will build and deploy AI technologies in the future. Among them, the core mathematical concepts of algebra, calculus and probability are the core of modern artificial intelligence innovation. Therefore, participating in the development of artificial intelligence technology requires students to start with a solid foundation in mathematics. We applaud the University of California’s recent clarification of admissions requirements regarding mathematics, ensuring that students must complete high school courses that meet the state’s college admissions standards.

While today’s advancements may suggest that classic mathematical disciplines like calculus or algebra are obsolete, this is not the case. In fact, modern artificial intelligence systems are rooted in mathematics, so learning mathematics is crucial to a career in the field of artificial intelligence.

Gradient descent, the algorithmic backbone of deep learning, demonstrates the connection between artificial intelligence and mathematics by combining calculus and (linear) algebra. Vectors and matrices are the building blocks of neural networks, and logarithmic scale growth modeling is the basis for neural network training. Trigonometric functions and the Pythagorean identities are not outdated either, they are the foundation of important tools in data science, including Fourier transforms and the least squares algorithm.

So, learning these math subjects in high school can prepare you for a future job specializing in machine learning, data science, or any STEM field. Generally speaking, we prefer to hire students with a solid grasp of the fundamentals rather than those with a passing grasp of the latest tool or software.

Failure to maintain standards for math curriculum in public education will widen the gap between public schools, especially those in under-resourced areas, and private schools, hampering STEM diversity efforts. All California children, not just those in private schools, deserve a top-notch math education to lay the foundation for our future. Therefore, we urge California policymakers to make every effort to ensure students have access to this type of education.

Open letter address: https://www.mathmatters.ai/

Signed Jeff Dean tweeted that mathematics education is obviously very important for AI and the wider field.

Many netizens also expressed support for this. Although you may find it difficult, mathematics is really useful:

Some people also expressed their dissatisfaction with the current American mathematics education:

"recipe-based math" refers to memorizing formulas by rote without paying attention to training Mathematical thinking ability, seems to have a sense of déjà vu. Unexpectedly, this kind of words are now used by Americans to complain about their mathematics education.

The open letter mentioned that the University of California has clarified the mathematics requirements for high school students to enter the university. What is going on?

University of California: If you want to apply for STEM, there is no substitute for math

Recently, we often see questions about how much math high school students must learn to enter a four-year California State University (generally speaking) Report.

Recently, an influential committee under the Academic Senate of the University of California (UC) expressed its opinion on this controversial issue. The opinion states: Beginning in fall 2025, high school students enrolled in the University of California and California State University who are taking a data science course or an AP statistics course cannot be substituted for Algebra II.

The Board of Admissions and School Relations (BOARS) at the University of California accepted the recommendation of the "Working Group of Mathematics and Statistics Professors" who studied the issue and reiterated its position.

The task force determined that these courses labeled as data science do not even “come close” to qualifying as, let alone replacing, more advanced algebra courses.

Original link: https://senate.universityofcalifornia.edu/_files/committees/boars/documents/boarsacwphase1report-20240221.pdf?mc_cid=9de3e6e6f2&mc_eid=8f769d3245

STEM professors from the University of California also use it There are critics of data science replacing advanced algebra courses. Many of them, while supportive of data science, do not support a curriculum that lacks the complete high school math required for students studying STEM or any major that requires quantitative skills.

Skipping basic math in high school can create the illusion that students are ready for majors in statistics, computer science, and data science when in fact they are not. This may force them to take additional math classes at community college.

Meanwhile, BOARS’s decision has raised eyebrows among some others. For example, Robert Gould, professor of statistics and vice chair for undergraduate research at UCLA and lead author of "Introduction to Data Science," disagrees with BOARS's decision. The data science course was also created with funding from the National Science Foundation through a collaborative math and science grant, he said.

He said, "Of course we are disappointed. We believe our courses are rigorous and challenging. Most importantly, these courses contain all the knowledge and skills students need for career and academic success."

Additionally, data science advocates are concerned that BOARS may disqualify admissions for data science and (possibly) statistics students under the math course category that meet admissions standards.

In the current world shaped by artificial intelligence and other data-driven opportunities and careers, more and more high school students are taking introductory data courses. Advocates see these data courses as "kinder" alternatives to trigonometry, introductory calculus and other rigorous courses that students majoring in science, technology engineering or mathematics (STEM) in college must take.

So dozens of high school math teachers and administrators have taken action by signing an open letter that will be sent to the Regents of the University of California. The letter reaffirms support for data science and statistics courses and criticizes BOARS for not consulting high school teachers and data science experts in making its decision.

Open letter address: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSflQnXznvqrJtd64FcSpADHOjQtRNJr8jq-A5OvJmdlRLA0Sw/viewform

The letter states, "Our school and school district adopt this type of data science courses because they provide an innovative 21st century learning experience that excites students and engages them in learning, teaches the quantitative skills needed in today's various careers and academic fields, and provides a new way for students to communicate and learn mathematics. way."

In addition to data science advocates and high school teachers, some non-profit organizations have also expressed support for data science courses. They argue that the courses, increasingly offered by school districts, are highly relevant and attractive to students who might otherwise become bored with math.

As for how the University of California will eventually incorporate popular data courses such as "CourseKata", "Introduction to Data Science" and YouCubed website's "Data Science Exploration" into the admissions course requirements, this bigger question may have to wait until the May mathematics work This will be determined when the group releases its next report.

From the outside, people have always been controversial about the level of basic mathematics education in American middle schools. In many school districts in American middle schools, group teaching is implemented starting from junior high school. For students who are not interested in or committed to STEM majors, they can safely graduate after learning algebraic geometry. On the other hand, some students may also choose to take AP (Advanced Placement) courses and exchange them for credit during their undergraduate years.

However, because college admission scores account for a relatively small proportion, many undergraduates’ mastery of mathematical knowledge may not meet their needs. Some people have even pointed out that a considerable number of college students cannot even handle the four arithmetic operations and solve quadratic equations of one variable.

No wonder Musk and Altman both stood up and appealed.

It seems that even in the era of AI technology development, improving the foundation of mathematics is crucial. At least the standard of freshmen should not get worse.

^{Reference link:}

^{https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/03/02/data-science-algebra-ii-alternative-california-debate/}

^{https://edsource.org/2024/uc-confirms-data-science-cant-sub-for-algebra-ii-unresolved-what-can-it-qualify-for/707043}

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