Jacob Valdez. Human. I build stuff. Started programming VB6 when I was 10. Branched out over the years: C#, HTML/CSS/JS, Arduino, Python, TypeScript, AWS, Android, etc. etc. Did lots of engineering projects too. Also, lots of independant study; glad I did Cal... more ››

Focus Statement

The only constant is change. — Heraclitus as quoted by Dr. Ron Cross

We’re witnessing the greatest technoevolutionary leap in the history of the observable universe. Yes, we might retrospectively say we were living in a fast-ish takeoff. Everything Everywhere All at Once. And most people don’t even... more ››

Background

My family places strong value on learning, kindness, and integrity. My dad spent much of my childhood as a systems engineer at Microsoft, and my mom, as a minister.1 Passing their values on, my siblings and I enjoyed regular visits to the library, lively conversations... more ››

What makes AI so interesting?

What makes it not interesting? The “thinking machine” drean has fascinated philosophers, machinists, and scientists for centuries. While there are many interpretations of the scope and focus of “artificial intelligence”, I take it to denote “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines”.1 A definitive... more ››

Describe some technical accomplishments you're proud of

There’s a lot of things I’m proud of, but here are 3:

• The Copyright Calculator. Developing this application was one of the most involved projects of my 9th grade given the resources and skills at my disposal. At the time, I was already busy starting high school, building...

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Relate a setback you've overcome

Getting up after my DIY’ed Cookie Cutter CNC EDM head shorted out the lab in 9th grade in front of my entire class, teacher, and principal was probably the hardest, most embarassing setback I’ve faced. I’d spent dozens of hours, written hundreds of lines of code, learned so... more ››

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Honestly, I don’t know! I try to take one day at a time so I can focus my energy. And seriously, with the baffling rate of AI capabilities advancement, I couldn’t even say what December might look like (writing this in July ‘23). Whatever circumstances come, I aim for an action-oriented life.