The key to continual learning is not just a longer context window, but a new architecture with a spectrum of memory types. "Nested learning" proposes a model with different layers that update at different frequencies—from transient working memory to persistent core knowledge—mimicking how humans learn without catastrophic forgetting.
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Even with vast training data, current AI models are far less sample-efficient than humans. This limits their ability to adapt and learn new skills on the fly. They resemble a perpetual new hire who can access information but lacks the deep, instinctual learning that comes from experience and weight updates.
The next major evolution in AI will be models that are personalized for specific users or companies and update their knowledge daily from interactions. This contrasts with current monolithic models like ChatGPT, which are static and must store irrelevant information for every user.
The popular conception of AGI as a pre-trained system that knows everything is flawed. A more realistic and powerful goal is an AI with a human-like ability for continual learning. This system wouldn't be deployed as a finished product, but as a 'super-intelligent 15-year-old' that learns and adapts to specific roles.
The current limitation of LLMs is their stateless nature; they reset with each new chat. The next major advancement will be models that can learn from interactions and accumulate skills over time, evolving from a static tool into a continuously improving digital colleague.
The popular concept of AGI as a static, all-knowing entity is flawed. A more realistic and powerful model is one analogous to a 'super intelligent 15-year-old'—a system with a foundational capacity for rapid, continual learning. Deployment would involve this AI learning on the job, not arriving with complete knowledge.
Many AI projects fail to reach production because of reliability issues. The vision for continual learning is to deploy agents that are 'good enough,' then use RL to correct behavior based on real-world errors, much like training a human. This solves the final-mile reliability problem and could unlock a vast market.
Google's Titans architecture for LLMs mimics human memory by applying Claude Shannon's information theory. It scans vast data streams and identifies "surprise"—statistically unexpected or rare information relative to its training data. This novel data is then prioritized for long-term memory, preventing clutter from irrelevant information.
To make agents useful over long periods, Tasklet engineers an "illusion" of infinite memory. Instead of feeding a long chat history, they use advanced context engineering: LLM-based compaction, scoping context for sub-agents, and having the LLM manage its own state in a SQL database to recall relevant information efficiently.
The perceived need for a new "continual learning" architecture is overstated. Current models can already achieve this functionally by building their own tools and apps based on new information. This reframes the challenge from a fundamental research problem to a practical prompt engineering and application design issue.
A key gap between AI and human intelligence is the lack of experiential learning. Unlike a human who improves on a job over time, an LLM is stateless. It doesn't truly learn from interactions; it's the same static model for every user, which is a major barrier to AGI.
