The problem is so widespread that the new Matrix film is being taken by some as a rejection of the trend. ... The idea of the red pill is a key example. In the original Matrix, ...

For example, multiplying two 4×4 matrices together using a traditional schoolroom method would take 64 multiplications, while Strassen's algorithm can perform the same feat in 49 multiplications.

Beyond AI, matrix math is so important to modern computing (think image processing and data compression) that even slight gains in efficiency could lead to computational and power savings.