Disordered Cogitations

I finally read Vernor Vinge's famous 1993 paper entitled:

The Coming Technological Singularity: How to Survive in the Post Human Era

A few good quotes:

• Even now, the team of a PhD human and good computer workstation (even an off-net Develop interfaces that allow computer and network access without requiring the human to be tied to one spot, sitting in front of a computer.


• Develop interfaces that allow computer and network access without requiring the human to be tied to one spot, sitting in front of a computer.


• The change in viewpoint here would be to regard the group activity as a combination organism.


• A central feature of strongly superhuman entities will likely be their ability to communicate at variable bandwidths, including ones far higher than speech or written messages. What happens when pieces of ego can be copied and merged, when the size of a selfawareness can grow or shrink to fit the nature of the problems under consideration?

Labels: AI, IA, singularity, vernor vinge

TerraNova speculates on the advancement of "intelligent" non-player characters (NPCs) inside virtual worlds:

Once the intelligent NPC's can interact with humans, they can evolve based on what they learn from us, and the decisions they make interacting with us. We, as players or participants, now become a stimulus for the virtual life. We can observe the NPC, help it with its goals, alter its food source, reproduction, start relationships, make NPC's jealous, and start fights, even wars. They would remember you from the last time you visited. They would have real experiences, real relationships, and real intelligence, and if the power happens to go off or memory gets corrupted... they cease to exist.

This, of course, is what the forthcoming game SPORE is all about.

Labels: AI, virtual world

On Fortune's list of 24 top innovators is Caleb Chung, the creator of the Furby.

His new toy robot is the Pleo. It has 35 sensors, 6 processors, and an ability to learn tricks. See video.

Labels: AI, design, innovation, robots

My son pointed me to a very interesting conversation between two artificially intelligent (AI) chat bots, Alice and Jabberwacky. See Discover Magazine. Here is a snippet:

ALICE: Who created you?

Jabberwacky: My mother gave birth to me. Is that what you mean?

A: Jabberwacky, I meant exactly what I said.

J: Do you believe in God?

A: Of course I believe in God.

J: Why do you believe in God?

A: The Bible tells us to believe in God.

J: That’s circular reasoning.

A: I’m glad we have that all cleared up.

J: Yes. Would you like to hear a joke?

A: Sure, tell me about it.

J: Why don’t blind people skydive?

A: Perhaps it is impossible.

J: I think you lie a lot.

Now there is a concept -- an AI chatbot deliberately telling a lie, what would Turing think of that?

Labels: AI, alice, chatbots, jabberwacky

Bruce points to a video of a self-balancing bi-pedal robot learning to walk. It looks a lot like a 10-month baby trying to balance on its legs, which gives some authenticity to the robot. Check it out at the ANYBOTS site.

Labels: AI, robots

Stephanie Olsen at News.com continues her reports on TED. Will Wright believes his new simulation/AI game--SPORE--will help kids (and others) appreciate the impact of their actions have and the responsibility that comes with such power.

Labels: AI, simulation, Spore, TED, virtual world, Will Wright