Computers that learn

One of the great themes of science fiction is the computer that becomes as smart or smarter than a human being although not many novels and movies have been made in which this is the central theme. Off hand I can only think of a couple of movies, Colossus the Forbin Project and HAL in 2001, A Space Odyssey. In most science fiction the thinking machines are robots. At present computers can do many marvelous things, but none can compare with the human brain that makes sense of countless diverse, quickly changing stimuli without effort. Doing what we do with ease is often an impossible task for computers.

Nonetheless, researchers in artificial intelligence are hard at work trying to achieve the goal of computers that think as well or better than a human being. For example, Researchers at the Leipzig Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging in London have developed a mathematical model which could significantly improve the automatic recognition and processing of spoken language. In the future, such algorithms that imitate brain mechanisms could help machines perceive the world around them. Perception of its environment would go a long way toward achieving true artificial intelligence.   

If you've ever had to deal with a voice activated automated telephone system, you probably realize how difficult it is for a computer to understand even simple words. If you speak a little too quickly or slowly, if your pronunciation is not clear, or if there is background noise, the system fails to understand you.

According to Stefen Kiebel of the Leipzig Max Plank Institute, the brain classifies the various signals from the smallest, fast-changing components such as single sound units like a vowel or consonant up to big, slow-changing elements such as the topic. The significance of the information at various duration levels is probably much greater than previously thought for the processing of perceived information. The brain searches for time dependent structures in the environment to determine what happens next. In this way, the brain can, for example, predict the next sound based on the slower-changing information. 

To test this hypothesis, the researchers constructed a mathematical model to imitate, in a highly simplified manner, the brain processes that occur during the comprehension of speech. The processes were described by algorithms that process speech at different duration levels. The model succeeded well. In contrast to other artificial speech recognition devices, it could process speeded up speech sequences. In addition it could predict the next speech sound. If a prediction turned out to be wrong, the model detected the error. This indicates that the model represented processes in a way that was similar to the way the brain functions.This new approach may be the beginning of a truly intelligent computer.

Building a Humanoid Robot

It has always been the dream of fans of science fiction (including myself) to have someone build a humanoid robot that would be as intelligent or at least close to as intelligent as human being. Such robots under human control would be enormously useful. Many number of tasks now done by human beings could be done more efficiently by machines. Some jobs are extremely odious; for example, sorting garbage for recyclables. Some are extremely dangerous; construction work on skyscrapers and handling radioactive materials are two instances. Some exist in hostile environments, such as in space or under the sea. Some are just boring. With apologies to housewives, housecleaning is a suitable job for an android. Wouldn't you like to have a robot servant? In addition, as robotic missiles have shown, there are many military uses. Imagine a robot army. Robots could be sent to explore other worlds in and out of our solar system.

But why build a robot in human form? If you think about it a little, you can conclude that few machines are as versatile as the biological machine that nature has taken a billion years to perfect. Take wheels for example. They allow a vehicle to travel rapidly over relatively smooth surface, but what wheeled vehicle can climb a mountain. Look at your hands. What mechanical device has such a large range of grasping abilities?

I'd like to quote from a science fiction novel written by the great Isaac Asimov, the Caves of Steel. In the novel, an expert on androids is explaining to a detective why robots should be made in human form. 'Because the human form is the most successful generalized form in all nature. We are not a specialized animal, Mr. Baley, except for our nervous systems and a few odd items. If you want a design capable of doing a great many widely various things, all fairly well, you could do no better than to imitate the human form. Besides that, our entire technology is based on the human form. An automobile, for instance, has its controls so made as to be grasped and manipulated most easily by human hands and feet of a certain size and shape, attached to a body by limbs of a certain length and joints of a certain type. Even such simple objects as chairs and tables or knives and forks are designed to meet the requirements of human measurements and manner of working. It is easier to have robots imitate the human shape than to redesign radically the very philosophy of our tools.'

My novel The Isaac Project is about a computer corporation who set out to exactly that. In my novel the project head divides the project into three groups. The first, the body group, must design and build the mechanical structure, the arms, legs, torso, head, hands and senses. They must also design a power source, such as rechargeable batteries.

The second group was to design the brain, a daunting task, for the internal computer must have the storage capability of the human brain in the same amount of space. Right now, our largest supercomputers which are enormous machines do not even come close to the ability of the human brain to process data.

The final group must design the artificial intelligent software. So far, there is AI software that can do amazing things such as Deep Blue who beat the reigning champion at chess and Watson, the Jeopardy prodigy. But these programs are highly specialized. None of them show the versatility of human thought.

Finally, the designs must be integrated and tested.

Will such a machine actually ever be built? I believe that sooner or later it will. There are many scientists and engineers working on each of these daunting tasks.

Artificial Intelligence and Emotions

In an article in Scientific American by the skeptic Michael Shermer, he wrote about the IBM supercomputer Watson. In it he asks the question, "Does Watson know that it won Jeopardy?" Did it take pride in its victory? That is an interesting question that goes to the heart of whether an artificial intelligence will ever become self-aware. Shermer asked the first question of IBM's David Ferucci, who replied, "Yes. Because I told it that it had won."

In truth, there is no way to test whether an artificial intelligence or any entity is self-aware. An AI can be programmed to say that it is self-aware, but that proves nothing. We know that we ourselves are self-aware, and we assume that all humans are self-aware. Actually, the mechanism of our self-awareness has not been determined yet. There are many theories, but no definitive answer.

As far as the other question, "Did it take pride in its victory," pride is an emotion, and like all emotions has value to the entity "feeling" it. An AI or robot that was programmed to simulate the "pride" emotion may know that its methodology for solving whatever spurred the "pride" emotion is sound.

In many science fiction stories and movies, robots are shown as these analytical beings that think only in terms of logic with no emotional content at all. In my mind a robot with these characteristics would be badly designed. In designing an AI the designer should mimic nature. Emotions have a definite function in humans and animals and should have in AIs and robots as well. For one thing simulated emotion helps the AI relate to human beings as was pointed out in the movie, 2001, A Space Odyssey, in a scene where Astronaut Bowmen is being interviewed by the press.

Depending upon the use the robot is put to, different simulated emotions should be a part of its software. "Fear" is useful emotion for any entity to keep it out of danger. "Loyalty" to its master is another emotion that most robots should have. A robot that baby-sits children should simulate "love" for those children. A soldier robot should "hate" the enemy.

I used quotes around the emotions because AI emotions would not be identical to emotions felt by human beings, but would trigger responses similar to the response these emotions trigger in humans and animals.