Just How Smart Is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence is the Holy Grail of computer science—and, for that matter, science fiction. But just how far have we come?

In this video, Luciano Floridi—Professor of Philosophy and Ethics of Information at the University of Oxford—explores the current state of AI. The nub of his argument boils down to one big question: have we already created machines which are on their way to being truly intelligent, or have we just changed the world to allow dumb machines to behave intelligently? Watch and find out. [YouTube]

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DISCUSSION

Greg the Mad

9/30/13 6:56AM

He's completely right. There is no intelligence in:

event startButtonPushed
{
if (doorClosed && programSelected)
startProgram();
else
//do nothing
}

And as of now this is the most complex most applications get. If you're fancy you throw in a switch, or loop.

Over the last decades our devices got faster, and the way we designed and program them got smarter, but they all just work the same as they did 30 years ago.

In my opinion it will stay this way till we create some form of abstracting AI.

This 3D object has a concave surface, it can be used to scoop fluids. And not: This set of objects (and nothing else) can be used to scoop fluids.
This is a tree, it has a shaft, called trunk, that splits up several times, called branches, and ends in thin plates, called leafs, or needles. And not: Is it brown at the bottom and green at the top => its a tree.
This is a tree, it's a plant, and behaves so, unless it is dead, or only a picture/sculpture of it. And not: Is it brown at the bottom and green at the top, water it.

What I've heard are already some scientists going this directions, but it will still take some times for that to bring results.