"Machine learning is a field without ongoing feuds, without heterogeneity of thought, without competing opinions, and without uncertainty over where the field is and where it is going. We all know this. We all use the same tools, have the same opinion about which libraries are the best, and what tools are best for tracking at train time. Yet, in this social event, we aim to find that rare soul in the AI/ML community with a primarily technical opinion that goes against the status quo, to give them a stage, and to curate engagement with an audience of NeurIPS members. Is symbolic reasoning dead? Who knows – but this discussion sure won’t be. Our goal here is to encourage a lively discussion, while ensuring that the speakers adhere to the NeurIPS Code of Conduct; in particular, by keeping the discussion respectful and professional.

The first half-hour of this social will be a reception, during which the organizers will pass around a sign-up for topics and for participants. We will ensure that the mic is accessible to everyone who wishes to participate, and we will aim for a diverse range of ideas, perspectives, and demographics. Then, we will have several rounds of open mic debates and response. The winners of each debate -- chosen by the audience -- will have eternal bragging rights."