Re: a "separate non-trivial task of converting a gigantic stream of numbers into a reasonably compact structured description", this is called subitizing. It is an operation that can be performed by imposing a known or discovered structural pattern on an aggregation of objects. It can be implemented in computers at a level that far exceeds human capability.
Re: a "separate non-trivial task of converting a gigantic stream of numbers into a reasonably compact structured description", this is called subitizing. It is an operation that can be performed by imposing a known or discovered structural pattern on an aggregation of objects. It can be implemented in computers at a level that far exceeds human capability.