How long before robots can think like us?

[Still Waters]

Will this summer be remembered as a turning point in the story of man versus machine? On June 23, with little fanfare, a computer program came within a hair’s breadth of passing the Turing test, a kind of parlour game for evaluating machine intelligence devised by mathematician Alan Turing more than 60 years ago.

This wasn’t as dramatic as Skynet becoming self-aware in the Terminator films, or HAL killing off his human crew mates in 2001, A Space Odyssey. But it was still a sign that machines are getting better at the art of talking – something that comes naturally to humans, but has always been a formidable challenge for computers.

Turing proposed the test – he called it “the imitation game” – in a 1950 paper titled “Computing machinery and intelligence”. Back then, computers were very simple machines, and the field known as Artificial Intelligence (AI) was in its infancy. But already scientists and philosophers were wondering where the new technology would lead. In particular, could a machine “think”?

http://www.telegraph...nk-like-us.html

[The Mule]

Anyone who makes a robot that thinks like me should be shot!

[StarMountainKid]

I think the human brain and a computer are fundamentally different in their operation. I'm sure one day a computer that can think will be developed, but it won't be human.

I have a program called "Hal Assistant" that I can talk to, and it replies in its own way, but it's pretty primitive, but kinda fun.

Edited August 21, 2012 by StarMountainKid

[WoIverine]

If they're almost there with binary computers, when we fully hit the quantum level, we're screwed.

[Tellymon]

But is it possible to create non-biological consciousness and sentience, something that exhibits human characteristics? Being able to choose from trillions of responses - even if it can function independently in society like a person - isn't quite the same. Both robots would still take my job, but a sentient one would have a life we would have to value as much as other people, and serve to better our species. Non-sentient robots being commonplace in society would just get abused and bring out the worst in us.

[Render]

But is it possible to create non-biological consciousness and sentience, something that exhibits human characteristics? Being able to choose from trillions of responses - even if it can function independently in society like a person - isn't quite the same. Both robots would still take my job, but a sentient one would have a life we would have to value as much as other people, and serve to better our species.

The combination of AI and quantum computing could do and will do exactly that.

Non-sentient robots being commonplace in society would just get abused and bring out the worst in us.

Bring out the worst? Do you mean we could become more lazy?

It could also open a world of possibilities. More time to exercise for example.

The blind who cannot see, being driven by an automatic car. (very near future)

Every new piece of technology brings with it , a bad side.

Paul Virilio even started the idea of a Museum Of Accidents. Where he wanted to point out to ppl the destructive forces that come along with technological advances.

For example the accident that happened with the Challenger. Or the invention of the train, also lead to the indirect invention of derailing.

The invention of ships created the invention of shipwrecks. Etc.

In his view accidents are the price we pay for progress.

[Junior Chubb]

For me this is not getting close to 'true artificial intelligence', this is just tricking somebody into believing they are having a conversation with another person (a 13 year old boy in this case). The more we understand linguistics and human response the easier this test becomes regardless of 'computer' advances. I find it hard to believe true artificial intelligence can be created within a computer, but peoples opinion of what artificial intelligence is quite varied.

Tthe article does throw up some interesting points though.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Junior Chubb

[StarMountainKid]

I'm wondering how much in common a human would have with and intelligent computer that could pass the Turing test? Such a computer would one day find itself conscious with a lot of information in its memory. It would be able to think for itself, but it would have no human experience. All it would know would be book-learning.

If it were programmed with human-like emotions, it would still not have experienced all the emotional experiences a human has during his/her life. This is one reason I think there will always be a fundamental difference between machine intelligence and human intelligence.

[Khaleid]

Until there's a computer that's actually self-aware, it passing a Turing test (imo) attests more to the intelligence and anticipatory prowess of the programmer than to the intelligence of the computer.

[Lava_Lady]

To think like a human it would need to have a healthy dose of insecurities, paranoia, irrational idiosyncrasies, a touch of obsessive compulsive disorder and finally some sort of addiction... Your choice.

Oh yes, also need wildly fluctuating hormones that take out from joyful to p***ed off to crying then happy again, within 5 minutes.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Lava_Lady

[highdesert50]

Our two most powerful drives are that of survival and procreation ...

[Catz]

Go to http://www.infowars.com/pentagon-developing-autonomous-humanoid-robots-to-perform-evacuation-operations/ and read the full story regarding humanoid robots to be completed by 2014:

Extracts from the piece:

"The DoD announced Tuesday that “The robotic platforms will be humanoid, consisting of two legs, a torso, two arms with hands, a sensor head and on board computing.”

The robots will operate with “supervised autonomy”, according to DARPA, and will be able to act intelligently by themselves, making their own decisions if and when direct supervision is not possible."

"What we have here are the beginnings of something designed to enable robots to hunt down humans like a pack of dogs. Once the software is perfected we can reasonably anticipate that they will become autonomous and become armed."

We can also expect such systems to be equipped with human detection and tracking devices including sensors which detect human breath and the radio waves associated with a human heart beat. These are technologies already developed.”

[StarMountainKid]

Catz, your link doesn't work for me.

[Render]

If it were programmed with human-like emotions, it would still not have experienced all the emotional experiences a human has during his/her life. This is one reason I think there will always be a fundamental difference between machine intelligence and human intelligence.

not necessarily. Memories are stored in the brain. When the time comes that we can transfer already formed memories onto, lets say, a memory card we can then transfer them into a machine.

There is already a chip that can be implanted in a human brain which can store memories. This chip can transfer that information to other chips (in other brains).

Edited August 23, 2012 by Render

[StarMountainKid]

There is already a chip that can be implanted in a human brain which can store memories. This chip can transfer that information to other chips (in other brains).

From my little research, scientists have only developed a chip inserted in a rats brain.

http://www.infowars.com/scientists-successfully-implant-chip-that-controls-the-brain/

Maybe you can document what you've stated. I have little doubt that this technology will be developed, either for good or for evil purposes.

[Render]

From my little research, scientists have only developed a chip inserted in a rats brain.

http://www.infowars....rols-the-brain/

Maybe you can document what you've stated. I have little doubt that this technology will be developed, either for good or for evil purposes.

oh my apologies, you can scratch that word "human" before brain...i don't know how that ended up there.

I ment the rat brain chip thing. which is step towards the human brain version.

I actually found an article from 1996 lol

July 18, 1996 5:45 PM PDT

A new memory chip--for the brain

They even assigned it the appropriately gee-whiz product moniker of "Soul Catcher 2025," as well as some fairly detailed specifications. The 2025 refers to the year the scientists think the idea will become a reality.

http://news.cnet.com...1_3-218102.html

we'll see i guess

Edited August 23, 2012 by Render

[StarMountainKid]

oh my apologies, you can scratch that word "human" before brain...i don't know how that ended up there.

I ment the rat brain chip thing. which is step towards the human brain version.

I understand, my fingers separate from my brain sometimes, not saying that happened with you. (I have to hit the "Edit" button a lot). All the links I could find were from 2011, so I don't know what's been happening since last year.

I think I wrote a story once where one of my characters wanted to start a business implanting holiday memories in people's brains. That way, people who didn't have time to go on a holiday themselves could have the memories of having gone on a nice holiday without actually having to leave town.

His friend talked him out of the idea, saying this could be misused. Corporations could surreptitiously implant memories of how happy you were with their product in the past, so you would buy the product, having this favorable false memory of it. Governments could also use this technology in many ways to control people.

[Catz]

Hi StarMountainKid,

See you found the link I was referring to: www.infowars.com

[Render]

I understand, my fingers separate from my brain sometimes, not saying that happened with you. (I have to hit the "Edit" button a lot). All the links I could find were from 2011, so I don't know what's been happening since last year.

I think I wrote a story once where one of my characters wanted to start a business implanting holiday memories in people's brains. That way, people who didn't have time to go on a holiday themselves could have the memories of having gone on a nice holiday without actually having to leave town.

His friend talked him out of the idea, saying this could be misused. Corporations could surreptitiously implant memories of how happy you were with their product in the past, so you would buy the product, having this favorable false memory of it. Governments could also use this technology in many ways to control people.

Sounds like Totat Recall

only focussing more on buying products instead of altering identities

[Taun]

Computers/Robots do not think... They process... The great advantage to a computer is that it processes very quickly, and always processes the data according to the same 'decision tree'...

The most complex AI still does not think... When a computer/AI beats a person at a game or some such it is because of either its processing speed, the algorythm it uses to process or a mistake by the person it defeats...

Maybe (MAYBE) when we get to quantum processing, a computer can be said to think... but with current cyber technology, the best they can do is some really, really good processing...

And before someone says "well, humans only process. So we don't think either"... Yes, we process data, but we are also capable of mental activity outside of our 'program'... We can have abstract thoughts that are not in our 'decision trees'... A computer can not...

We can think "1 + 1 =.... gee I like strawberries!"... A computer can not - unless it is specifically programmed to do that...

[StarMountainKid]

Yes, we process data, but we are also capable of mental activity outside of our 'program'... We can have abstract thoughts that are not in our 'decision trees'...

I'm wondering if this ability of abstract thought is inherent in the design of our brain's neural network. An other question would be, is this ability a property of the brain or is it a property of the mind?

Perhaps an algorithm could be devised to parallel human abstract thought in AI computers.

[QuantumGuy]

We can think "1 + 1 =.... gee I like strawberries!"... A computer can not - unless it is specifically programmed to do that...

You've apparently never had a rogue pointer .

It ultimately comes down to how intelligence and thinking are defined. I would argue that computers do, in fact, think, but in a very elementary and mostly linear and deterministic manner. Human thinking is at least partially linear and deterministic. How do you go about solving problems in math? It's probably a series of defined steps. How is it you can "know" what someone else is thinking and finish sentences started by them? You've just recognized the pattern in their thoughts and are able to predict their next action.

I don't think machine intelligence will reach anywhere near the level as humans until there are some major advancements in neural networks. And I don't think quantum computers will offer an immediate solution. Quantum computers are able to calculate much faster due to their ability to be put in a state of superposition, not because they have a faster clock, transmission speeds, or data storate/recall. Those processes would be faster, of course, but are not the major contributors to processing speed.

The example often pointed to is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grover%27s_algorithm. It'll be rough if you're not familiar with linear algebra or Dirac notation, but you should be able to get idea of just how much faster Grover's Algorithm is, due to the ability of qubits to be in superposition. (In the quantum circuit, the "H" is representative of the Hadamard matrix, the operation responsible for putting a qubit into superpostition. It shows up is every quantum algorithm I've come across, including the quantum teleportation circuit).

Edited August 24, 2012 by QuantumGuy