https://www.yixtian.com/ Thoughts on machine learning, AI, and software engineering by Yixin Tian en-us Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:39:01 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/12-when-knowledge-becomes-worthless AI is making knowledge freely producible, shifting the scarce resource from answers to questions. But here's the paradox: the ability to ask good questions comes from struggling to find answers yourself. By making answers effortless, AI may be eroding the very skill it makes valuable. The open question is whether we can develop questioning ability through other means, or if unassisted struggle is irreplaceable. Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/12-when-knowledge-becomes-worthless noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/11-ai-coding-agents-guide AI coding tools like Windsurf, Cursor, Claude Code, and GitHub Copilot promise productivity but come with quirks. This guide dives into workflows, subagents, hooks, and practical patterns to help you code smarter without letting your AI run wild in Yolo Mode. Sat, 04 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/11-ai-coding-agents-guide noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/10-multi-agent-debate-w-state-pattern Learn how to create a multi-agent debate framework using large language models (LLMs) in Python. This tutorial walks through building proponent, opponent, and neutral agents that take turns debating a proposition, complete with real-time transitions and summarization. Wed, 16 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/10-multi-agent-debate-w-state-pattern noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/9-nexus-book-review Information shapes societies, acting as the connective tissue for cooperation through truth and order. While tech giants like Google and Meta promote the idea that more information leads to wisdom, populists argue it serves elite control. Bureaucracy, essential for order, faces distrust due to its complexity, making it an easy target for criticism. The pursuit of infallibility has driven the creation of holy texts, where power lies in interpretation. Mass media technologies have enabled both democracy and totalitarianism, deepening the global divide into separate information spheres—a "silicon curtain" between East and West. In the 21st century, flexibility is the key to navigating an ever-evolving information landscape. Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/9-nexus-book-review noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/8-ontology-101 This blog talks about ontology, a concept for scalable knowledge sharing that models how knowledge is represented within specific domains, and the Web Ontology Language (OWL), which enhances this process with advanced semantics and reasoning capabilities. OWL allows the definition of classes, properties, and instances, enabling precise and consistent knowledge representation. It supports features like hierarchical relationships, domain and range constraints, and advanced property types (e.g., inverse, transitive, symmetric), making it essential for semantic web technologies. By enabling automated reasoning and a shared understanding of domain knowledge, OWL plays a crucial role in building intelligent, knowledge-driven systems. Sat, 28 Dec 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/8-ontology-101 noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/7-three-dimensions-of-learning Unlock the full potential of your learning journey by exploring the three dimensions of effective learning: exposure, retention, and personal experimentation. Most learners focus solely on increasing exposure to new knowledge through books and blogs, but enhancing retention through active listening and reflection, and accelerating personal experimentation, can yield greater gains. Discover practical strategies to integrate these three methods and achieve deeper, more meaningful learning outcomes. Sun, 07 Jul 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/7-three-dimensions-of-learning noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/6-blog-migration Learnings, notes, and known limitations from personal blog site migration from Jekyll to Next.js + MDX Sun, 30 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/6-blog-migration noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/5-evolution-meets-art A paper review on applying modern evolutionary algorithms for computational creativity Sun, 14 Jan 2024 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/5-evolution-meets-art noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/4-modern-note-taking-apps The promise of better thinking vs. reality Sat, 11 Nov 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/4-modern-note-taking-apps noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/3-linear-regression A summary + a little math of five ways to formulate and solve a linear regression problem Fri, 14 Jul 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/3-linear-regression noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/2-rag-w-langchain Build a semantic question answering interface over my knowledge-base notes with LangChain, OpenAI GPT, and Chroma (a fast vector DB). Sun, 04 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/2-rag-w-langchain noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian) https://www.yixtian.com//blog/1-first-look-at-learning Some preliminary thoughts about a broader definition of learning, why I want to start a blog, and what I plan to do with it from a slow learner's perspective. Wed, 03 May 2023 00:00:00 GMT https://www.yixtian.com//blog/1-first-look-at-learning noreply@yixtian.com (Yixin Tian)