It is curious. A few weeks ago I was in Boston for the fourth time. At the MIT Media Lab with our colleagues from the Boston Exponential Hub (BXH). Unthinkable two years ago and now I have the opportunity to explore one of the fastest growing areas with the greatest potential impact within Artificial Intelligence: natural language processing (NLP).
The first two times were more exploratory, attending the spring and fall membership events, but the following times we are already working on projects and advancing in possible collaborations with startups in the area. It almost makes you want to consider a doctorate… of course, of course 😂
The trip has almost become a routine: check in from the cell phone on Sunday after waking up, suitcase, cab from home, train to Madrid, commuter train to the airport, straight to the security checkpoint, shuttle to terminal 4S, passport control and quickly to gates 45 and 46 to go through the second checkpoint, lest I have to show my backpack, which would not be unusual considering my track record.
Today I am going with a different colleague, Dani. Last time it was Javi and Antonio. Will there be a next one? For the time being, as soon as I return directly to Lisbon. Small differences in terms of subway or Uber, going through Boston Common or following the Freedom Trail, looking for restaurants for dinner (lunch will almost certainly be at the MIT canteen), … but essentially very similar: project meetings, moving forward with issues in Spain that do not stop and Friday, wrap up and next steps.
That is the theory. The reality is that the plans then have to be modified, but in general progress is rapid.
In short: hopefully I will have the opportunity to return but if not the experience was worth it. A lot.
