Machine Un-Learning: Why Forgetting Might Be the Key to AI

According to a recent paper in Neuron, our brains are meant to act as information filters. Put in a big pile of messy data, filter for the useful bits, then clear out any irrelevant details in order to tell a story or make a decision. The unused pieces are deleted in order to make space for new data -- like running a disk cleanup on a computer. In neurobiology terms, forgetting happens when synaptic connections between neurons weaken or are eliminated over time, and as new neurons develop, they rewire the circuits of the hippocampus, overwriting existing memories (New Atlas). In order to adapt effectively, humans need to be able to strategically forget.