Computers Think Like Their Users

1
Computers Think Like Their Users

• Jon Van
• ltChicago Tribunegt
• on ltthe Press of Atlantic Citygt, page F1, April
  3, 2005

2
Inexorable Emergence

• Machine intelligence is the inexorable emergence
  of the new century, as asserted by Ray Kerzweil
  in 2000.
• This paper provides two examples showing such
  emergence is looming up.

3
Example 1 in Article

• Watson
• It watches what the user reads and writes and can
  go online for information it thinks the user
  might need.
• It costs 99 to thousands of dollars.

4
Examples 2 in Article

• A system being used in NICE Systems, Inc.
• Its software can determine when a phone caller
  becomes emotional, which is used to monitor a
  companys call center conversations.
• It looks at the pitch, volume, tone, speed and
  tempo of callers voice and watches how those
  change over time.

5
One More Example
Discussion

• Thought-Catcher
• On CNN News, 2/2/2006, it reports that a
  mechanism, worn on the head of a handicapped, can
  move the pointer on screen following the users
  thought. It is also able to change TV channels
  at the will of the user.

6
Faster vs. Smarter
Discussion

• Computers havent gotten more deep cognitively,
  but they have gotten a lot faster. What we can
  do is use that speed to do brute force
  calculations to solve problems. (p.1, col. 1,
  bottom)
• ...More speed makes computers more useful but
  doesnt endow them with intelligence. (p.2,
  col.4)
• Faster speed can make computer smarter, since it
  can scrutinize more possible options in a short
  time and make smarter decisions.

7
Brute Force

• Brute force is an approach of decision making,
  which compares all possible decision options,
  then pick the best option.
• A brute force approach is in trouble if there are
  too many options.

8
Can We Be Relaxed?
Discussion

• Computers have long been likened to human
  brains, sparking fears and hopes that someday a
  collection of silicon and wires would think like
  a person. But even todays most powerful units
  are not smart enough to tie a shoelace or do
  anything most human 4-year-olds accomplish
  thoughtlessly. (p.1, col. 2, middle)
• Do we therefore feel relaxed that computers will
  never think like us, based on the fact that
  current computers are not as smart as 4-year-olds?

9
Prospective Near-Future
Discussion

• Computers intelligence is growing exponentially.
• Out intelligence remains unchanged.
• Once a computer is of intelligence of a
  4-year-old, then
• all computers have intelligence of that level
• its not far for a computer to have intelligence
  of a 40-year-old
• its not far for a computer to have intelligence
  of all 40-year-olds of mankind.

10
Must Intelligence Be Brain-Like?
Discussion

• Electronic computers are getting faster, but
  speed doesnt endow it with intelligence. We
  need to better understand the brains
  architecture,... build a different kind of
  computer modeled after that. (p.2, col.4)
• Intelligence can be achieved in a way that is
  different from brain-like structure.
• Brain-like intelligence is not perfect. Its
  flaws
• Brain-like intelligence is a way to achieve
  machine intelligence, but not the only way.

11
Artificial Intelligence Approach?
Discussion

• Complicated problems are being solved these days
  by using approaches having little to do with
  artificial intelligence, said IBMs White. (p.2,
  col.3)
• What is on earth the approach of artificial
  intelligence?
• It is still a controversial issue.
• A misconception
• An intelligence function is no longer viewed
  intelligent once it is achieved by machines.
  (such as smart mop, spelling check)