Download My Personal Philosophy about Artificial Intelligence

My Personal Philosophy
about Artificial
Intelligence
Final Paper
Scott Gardner
10/1/2011
Scott Gardner
LE 1310-048
Mind, Machine, and Consciousness
Final Paper
October 2011
An Expert System
“In artificial intelligence, an expert system is a computer system that emulates the decisionmaking ability of a human expert.” (Wikipedia) What an expansive and all encompassing definition.
Does computer systems exist today that can emulate the decision-making ability of a human expert?
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Earlier this year, an IBM computer named Watson, took on two human competitors on the
game show Jeopardy. Watson actually answered questions that required contextual understanding and
exhibited language comprehension. Watson won the competition versus the humans.
For the last several years, IBM scientists have been working on
developing Watson, which is intended to be the world’s most “advanced question/answering” machineable to understand a question and respond with a precise, factual answer. (Thompson, Clive.) This is big
step in the journey towards true artificial intelligence. With Watson we are actually able to converse
more naturally to an extent, not just simple questions. Watson actually understands Jeopardy!
However, I feel we are still light years away from reaching a true artificial intelligence that is self aware
and understands its surroundings. We are making progress even though Watson is made up of a room
full of servers.
I began this course with a belief that true artificial intelligence was very close. A robot assistant
that would be able to do house work and pay the bills, even entertain us. But in learning more about
the subject, it has become clear to me how complex the task is and how far away we really are from
achieving this lofty goal. Even though this realization is somewhat disheartening, my eyes have been
opened to how much technology is becoming a part of us.
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“We are becoming part of the machine, and it is becoming part of us.” (Khanna, Ayesha &
Parag.) Everything we do it touched by technology. In looking forward 25 years, I do see the real
possibility of an AI entity that we rely on to help run our lives. I personally am excited about the future
of artificial intelligence. There is a real possibility that in the future these entities or technologies could
be used for wrong and misused, but the opportunities for doing good is so vast!
Consider what is happening today. Surgeries assisted by
robots. I-Phones that can help the blind. Technologies in our cars that will prevent accidents.
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Millions upon millions of poor people all over the world are
getting cell and smart phones each month. I can only imagine how this proliferation of technology will
change politics all over the world. The future for artificial intelligence is bright indeed.
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Bibliography
Khanna, Ayesha & Parag. (Sept-Oct 2011). "The Future Is Now.” FP- Foreign Policy. Issue Number 188.
Pages 65-72.
Wikipedia. (2011) Expert System.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert_system
Thompson, Clive. (2010), What Is I.B.M’s Watson?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/magazine/20Computer-t.html?pagewanted=all
Wikipedia. (2011) Robotic Surgery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robotic_surgery
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