Body: <p>I started researching the subject of self-replication in neural networks, and unexpectedly I saw that there is not much research on this subject. I should mention I am new in the field of NNs.</p>
  <p>This idea seems to be very appealing, but now I am having problems coming up with an actual use case. The paper <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.05859" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Neural Network Quine</a> from 2018 seems to be one of the main ones addressing this topic.</p>
  <p>So, what are the use-cases of self-replicating neural networks? Why isn't this subject more thoroughly researched?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2020-11-15T12:21:20.217Z
Comments.Text: You asked a very similar question [here](https://ai.stackexchange.com/q/24542/2444). In any case, in the abstract of that paper that you cite, the authors write "_We suggest that a self-replication mechanism for artificial intelligence is useful because it introduces the possibility of continual improvement through natural selection._". Moreover, what you are quoting from Reddit, i.e. "it's really just take machine learning model and have it predict its own weights", it's exactly what's written in the abstract of the same paper you're citing. Have you read that paper?
Comments.UserDisplayName: nbro
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2020-11-15T18:17:03.680Z
Comments.Text: I asked again trying to be more specific, as suggested in the other question. Of course I read it. I just wanted to start a discussion on the subject and hear what other (more qualified) people think about it, but it seems I dont know how to ask a question around here to make people respond
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ezeeroc
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2020-11-15T18:26:00.310Z
Comments.Text: It's also possible that nobody here is familiar with or interested in similar work. That paper actually contains a section "Motivation" where the authors try to motivate their work. I suspect that people still don't see many use cases of these systems, and that's why there may not be much research work (I actually don't know, because I have not researched anything on the topic). It's possible that this type of neural network, which refers to itself, in some way, may turn out to be useful. Later, maybe I will read something about the topic, and maybe I will attempt to provide an answer.
Comments.UserDisplayName: nbro
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2020-11-15T19:15:48.217Z
Comments.Text: Thanks for the answer! Would be helpful if you find the time
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ezeeroc
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2020-11-20T13:37:14.337Z
Comments.Text: This paper [Self-Replication in Neural Networks](https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/isal_a_00197) by Thomas Gabor et al. could also be useful to answer your question (I didn't read it yet).
Comments.UserDisplayName: nbro
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2020-11-21T07:24:10.197Z
Comments.Text: I have read it. It is about tuning NNs to accept other NNs as inputs with the purpose of having themselves as input and thus self-replication. To make this possibile they use several `reductions`. It doesnt really say much about the end goal, or purpose. It is more for research purposes
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ezeeroc
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2022-09-30T15:02:26.983Z
Comments.Text: @Ezeeroc Have you reached any conclusion which you could share?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Rexcirus
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2022-10-07T05:10:19.650Z
Comments.Text: @Rexcirus only more abstract ones and nothing very specific
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ezeeroc
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-10-29T10:03:08.177Z
Comments.Text: I'm pasting here the link to the Reddit post that you mentioned: https://old.reddit.com/r/MachineLearning/comments/js4bkz/d_why_arent_self_replicating_neural_networks_more/.
Comments.UserDisplayName: nbro
Tags: <neural-networks><applications><self-replicating-machines>
Title: What are the use-cases of self-replicating neural networks?
UserDisplayName: Ezeeroc
ThreadText: # What are the use-cases of self-replicating neural networks?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2020-11-15)
  
  I started researching the subject of self-replication in neural networks, and unexpectedly I saw that there is not much research on this subject. I should mention I am new in the field of NNs.
  
  This idea seems to be very appealing, but now I am having problems coming up with an actual use case. The paper [Neural Network Quine](https://arxiv.org/abs/1803.05859) from 2018 seems to be one of the main ones addressing this topic.
  
  So, what are the use-cases of self-replicating neural networks? Why isn't this subject more thoroughly researched?
  
  **Tags:** neural-networks, applications, self-replicating-machines
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: You asked a very similar question [here](https://ai.stackexchange.com/q/24542/2444). In any case, in the abstract of that paper that you cite, the authors write "_We suggest that a self-replication mechanism for artificial intelligence is useful because it introduces the possibility of continual improvement through natural selection._". Moreover, what you are quoting from Reddit, i.e. "it's really just take machine learning model and have it predict its own weights", it's exactly what's written in the abstract of the same paper you're citing. Have you read that paper?  
  > **username_0**: I asked again trying to be more specific, as suggested in the other question. Of course I read it. I just wanted to start a discussion on the subject and hear what other (more qualified) people think about it, but it seems I dont know how to ask a question around here to make people respond  
  > **username_1**: It's also possible that nobody here is familiar with or interested in similar work. That paper actually contains a section "Motivation" where the authors try to motivate their work. I suspect that people still don't see many use cases of these systems, and that's why there may not be much research work (I actually don't know, because I have not researched anything on the topic). It's possible that this type of neural network, which refers to itself, in some way, may turn out to be useful. Later, maybe I will read something about the topic, and maybe I will attempt to provide an answer.  
  > **username_0**: Thanks for the answer! Would be helpful if you find the time  
  > **username_1**: This paper [Self-Replication in Neural Networks](https://www.mitpressjournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1162/isal_a_00197) by Thomas Gabor et al. could also be useful to answer your question (I didn't read it yet).  
  > **username_0**: I have read it. It is about tuning NNs to accept other NNs as inputs with the purpose of having themselves as input and thus self-replication. To make this possibile they use several `reductions`. It doesnt really say much about the end goal, or purpose. It is more for research purposes  
  > **username_1**: I'm pasting here the link to the Reddit post that you mentioned: https://old.reddit.com/r/MachineLearning/comments/js4bkz/d_why_arent_self_replicating_neural_networks_more/.  
  > **username_2**: @username_0 Have you reached any conclusion which you could share?  
  > **username_0**: @username_2 only more abstract ones and nothing very specific  
  
  ---
  
  ## 0 answers
  
  