Jonathan Cheng
@jonathancheng.bsky.social
English PhD turned Machine Learning Researcher. I medicate my imposter syndrome with cold brews.
Current:
Foundation Models @ Apple
Prev:
LLMs/World Models @ Riot Games
RecSys @ Apple
Seattle -> NYC 🏳️🌈
Current:
Foundation Models @ Apple
Prev:
LLMs/World Models @ Riot Games
RecSys @ Apple
Seattle -> NYC 🏳️🌈
Currently at the art institute of chicago: not the vase we need but the vase we deserve.
February 8, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Currently at the art institute of chicago: not the vase we need but the vase we deserve.
Got to be mere inches from a tiger!
January 10, 2026 at 8:03 PM
Got to be mere inches from a tiger!
Also, what is the name of this band? 😂
January 2, 2026 at 10:25 PM
Also, what is the name of this band? 😂
When you happen to look down from a pier and a harbor seal emerges, looking up at you— before going underwater again, teasing me into waiting with my binoculars for half an hour…
—
Dear reader, the cute harbor seal did not return. 😔😔😔 instead I was treated to a smorgasbord of sea lions
—
Dear reader, the cute harbor seal did not return. 😔😔😔 instead I was treated to a smorgasbord of sea lions
January 2, 2026 at 10:24 PM
When you happen to look down from a pier and a harbor seal emerges, looking up at you— before going underwater again, teasing me into waiting with my binoculars for half an hour…
—
Dear reader, the cute harbor seal did not return. 😔😔😔 instead I was treated to a smorgasbord of sea lions
—
Dear reader, the cute harbor seal did not return. 😔😔😔 instead I was treated to a smorgasbord of sea lions
My partner and I were looking for the last few edge pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, but there were quite a few pieces to sort through.
So as a joke he took a picture of all the pieces asked it to find them, and… it found them 😂
Fun benchmark idea: visual needle in a haystack (if not already a thing)
So as a joke he took a picture of all the pieces asked it to find them, and… it found them 😂
Fun benchmark idea: visual needle in a haystack (if not already a thing)
January 2, 2026 at 1:47 AM
My partner and I were looking for the last few edge pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, but there were quite a few pieces to sort through.
So as a joke he took a picture of all the pieces asked it to find them, and… it found them 😂
Fun benchmark idea: visual needle in a haystack (if not already a thing)
So as a joke he took a picture of all the pieces asked it to find them, and… it found them 😂
Fun benchmark idea: visual needle in a haystack (if not already a thing)
Let’s goooooooo!!! 🤪😂
January 1, 2026 at 7:35 PM
Let’s goooooooo!!! 🤪😂
TIL, San Luis Obispo features the very first Jamba Juice.
Which in my historical mental model was the popularizer of the health smoothie? Idk if there was one before that?
Which in my historical mental model was the popularizer of the health smoothie? Idk if there was one before that?
December 31, 2025 at 10:16 PM
TIL, San Luis Obispo features the very first Jamba Juice.
Which in my historical mental model was the popularizer of the health smoothie? Idk if there was one before that?
Which in my historical mental model was the popularizer of the health smoothie? Idk if there was one before that?
California’s state slogan should really be “nothing you do will make your state as beautiful as ours, surrender.”
December 30, 2025 at 3:36 AM
California’s state slogan should really be “nothing you do will make your state as beautiful as ours, surrender.”
Little does Katseye know that 21st century kpop stars 🤝 19th century horticulturists
December 30, 2025 at 12:31 AM
Little does Katseye know that 21st century kpop stars 🤝 19th century horticulturists
Will post prettier pics in a bit, but today I got to witness 3 park rangers coral a bobcat away from humans. Barely visible in this picture.
December 29, 2025 at 11:52 PM
Will post prettier pics in a bit, but today I got to witness 3 park rangers coral a bobcat away from humans. Barely visible in this picture.
The tour guide’s sermon on the perils of yellow journalism doesn’t quite have the intended effect when you follow it up with the afforded opulence.
December 28, 2025 at 10:42 PM
The tour guide’s sermon on the perils of yellow journalism doesn’t quite have the intended effect when you follow it up with the afforded opulence.
Monarch butterfly grove near Mismo beach! The sleeping clusters are very hard to spot.
Also bonus image of sleepy California beach towns being unreal.
Also bonus image of sleepy California beach towns being unreal.
December 28, 2025 at 1:24 AM
Monarch butterfly grove near Mismo beach! The sleeping clusters are very hard to spot.
Also bonus image of sleepy California beach towns being unreal.
Also bonus image of sleepy California beach towns being unreal.
There’s a breakfast place in Ballard that has this *extremely* cozy bar in the back. And I now suddenly feel compelled to drink warm alcoholic beverages.
December 20, 2025 at 7:43 PM
There’s a breakfast place in Ballard that has this *extremely* cozy bar in the back. And I now suddenly feel compelled to drink warm alcoholic beverages.
Look, uiuc is great for many academic reasons, but if you’re a food motivated critter:
December 1, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Look, uiuc is great for many academic reasons, but if you’re a food motivated critter:
Boss: “hey I saw your one of your training jobs errored out, is there some cluster issue we need to report?”
Me: *humming, adorning yet another stuffed tiger in a wreath*
My jobs may have been submitted with priority 1, but little does my boss know that there’s an even *higher* priority!
Me: *humming, adorning yet another stuffed tiger in a wreath*
My jobs may have been submitted with priority 1, but little does my boss know that there’s an even *higher* priority!
November 29, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Boss: “hey I saw your one of your training jobs errored out, is there some cluster issue we need to report?”
Me: *humming, adorning yet another stuffed tiger in a wreath*
My jobs may have been submitted with priority 1, but little does my boss know that there’s an even *higher* priority!
Me: *humming, adorning yet another stuffed tiger in a wreath*
My jobs may have been submitted with priority 1, but little does my boss know that there’s an even *higher* priority!
Art institute questions of the day:
1) how many thoughts between that child and that goat?
2) what would a Flemish painter put on Mary Magdalen’s lap?
3) have the French ever seen a pelican?
1) how many thoughts between that child and that goat?
2) what would a Flemish painter put on Mary Magdalen’s lap?
3) have the French ever seen a pelican?
November 28, 2025 at 5:29 PM
Art institute questions of the day:
1) how many thoughts between that child and that goat?
2) what would a Flemish painter put on Mary Magdalen’s lap?
3) have the French ever seen a pelican?
1) how many thoughts between that child and that goat?
2) what would a Flemish painter put on Mary Magdalen’s lap?
3) have the French ever seen a pelican?
This morning’s view + final fantasy soundtrack? *chef’s kiss*
November 12, 2025 at 7:46 PM
This morning’s view + final fantasy soundtrack? *chef’s kiss*
My sister has introduced her childhood favorite sailor moon to the nieces.
And all I can say is major solidarity with Sailor Pluto today.
And all I can say is major solidarity with Sailor Pluto today.
November 10, 2025 at 4:18 AM
My sister has introduced her childhood favorite sailor moon to the nieces.
And all I can say is major solidarity with Sailor Pluto today.
And all I can say is major solidarity with Sailor Pluto today.
From Danielewski’s Fifty Year Sword. It didn’t live up to my love of House of Leaves, but the story/visual setup was very dramatic.
November 9, 2025 at 7:43 PM
From Danielewski’s Fifty Year Sword. It didn’t live up to my love of House of Leaves, but the story/visual setup was very dramatic.
I’m a machine that transforms free Sunday afternoons into walks along the arboretum waterfront trail.
November 3, 2025 at 12:00 AM
I’m a machine that transforms free Sunday afternoons into walks along the arboretum waterfront trail.
I’ve been in a Halloween costume rut, but the gay Halloween meme format is truly inspirational.
October 31, 2025 at 8:16 PM
I’ve been in a Halloween costume rut, but the gay Halloween meme format is truly inspirational.
This lil’ guy is living my dream of being hidden in a shrub, nibbling on flowers — not thinking about computer science/ world affairs 😂
On the flip side, I don’t live in mortal fear of the dogs at the dog park.
On the flip side, I don’t live in mortal fear of the dogs at the dog park.
October 26, 2025 at 10:15 PM
This lil’ guy is living my dream of being hidden in a shrub, nibbling on flowers — not thinking about computer science/ world affairs 😂
On the flip side, I don’t live in mortal fear of the dogs at the dog park.
On the flip side, I don’t live in mortal fear of the dogs at the dog park.
Visiting Chicago, god this place is gorgeous.
October 23, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Visiting Chicago, god this place is gorgeous.