Oh man...  This is really sad news.  I mean, don&#x27;t get me wrong, ANY death is sad news, especially for that person&#x27;s friends and family.  But while I never knew Marvin Minsky personally, I&#x27;ve felt his influence on my life for a long time.  AI has always been one of my favorite subjects, and he&#x27;s one of the forefathers of AI research and his presence looms large in the life of anyone connected to the field.   So this feels like losing an old friend.<p>Not to mention that he was a brilliant mind, and his loss is a loss for humanity at large.<p>Anyway, RIP Mr. Minsky.