Disordered Vector Models: From Higher Spins to Incipient Strings

We present a one-parameter family of large N disordered models, with and without supersymmetry, in three spacetime dimensions. They interpolate from the critical large N vector model dual to a classical higher spin theory toward a theory with a classical string dual. We analyze the spectrum and operator product expansion data of the theories. While the supersymmetric model is always well-behaved the nonsupersymmetric model is unitary only over a small parameter range. We offer some speculations on the origin of strings from the higher spins.