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In the latest episode of Approximately Correct, we’re taking the time to celebrateAmii Fellow, Chief Scientific Advisor, and Canada CIFAR AI Chair Rich Sutton, newly-minted winner of the A.M. Turing Award, a prize that is often referred to as  the “Nobel Prize of Computer Science.”

It’s a historic achievement, and well deserved. It was awarded to Rich and his colleague Andrew Barto for their foundational work in building and expanding the field of reinforcement learning, and the undeniable impact they’ve had on shaping artificial intelligence research. 

You could fill a full episode just listing Rich’s scientific achievements. But we wanted to learn more about the person behind the research—what inspires him and why he is so dedicated to understanding intelligence.

It’s a fascinating conversation from one of the most influential minds in the field. It also provides a unique glimpse into his philosophy and why he’s never been afraid to explore ideas that others might ignore.“I really believe this: the most important contribution that each one of us can make is something that seems obvious to us,” he says. 

“We know it so well. The only limitation is that we may not realize that other people don't see it.”

In addition to hearing from Rich, we also talk with some of the remarkable AI community he has helped inspire. Colleagues and former students share their favourite memories of working with Rich, and talk about the lessons that they will carry with them going forward. Don't miss this special episode – tune in to Approximately Correct to hear more about Rich Sutton's extraordinary achievements!

Approximately Correct: An AI Podcast from Amii is hosted by Alona Fyshe and Scott Lilwall. It is produced by Lynda Vang, with video production by Chris Onciul. Subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.