Automata

Automata - It all sounds very dark and dramatic doesn't it?

This is Latin for: Self operating machines. I am personally dubious as to whether the Latin language so long ago really had a word for 'Self operating machines' or whether some guy just decided to tell people that.

Ever heard of a Cybertwin? No, I hadn't either until this week. Let me tell you Ian's Cybertwin needs some work. He was not helpful in the slightest. Cyber Ian let me know that he was not interested in hearing all about me and when I asked him a question, he responded by asking me where Iran was located. There was definitely something lost in translation and it is fair to say we are a long way off having a Cybertwin attending to all of our more tedious jobs.


Alan Turing was certainly ahead of his time when he came up with the concept of a machine that can exhibit intelligent behaviour, that of which would be indistinguishable from humans.
Based on Turings concept there was a test known appropriately as the Turing test. Basically, a human judge conducts a conversation using natural language, with humans and computers in a separate room. If the judge cannot distinguish between the machine and the human, congratulations, the machine has passed the test.

There have been mixed reactions to Turings test. The test fails to check on the ability to give correct answers and bases it completely on how the answers resemble typical human answers.

On the flip side Searle (1980) disagrees with the effectiveness of the Turing test, his argument being that the test does not prove that a computer can think. I tend to agree with him, however going forward I do believe the technology will get to a point where we can teach computers to think. World domination is only a click of a button away. Mwahahahahahahaha (cue evil laugh)

A good example of this in todays world is the introduction of Siri to Apple products. she is a virtual customer service agent that is trained to interact with you in a human style to the best of her ability. I do utilise her quite a bit. In particular for weather and directions. When she works well, I love her, when she doesn't understand me and she comes back with somewhat patronising answers, I want to throw my new friend right out the window!

It is a great instant option and it is exciting to think how that technology will develop in the next ten years. I think it will become a very viable option for businesses to utilise on a regular basis.

I imagine Alan Turing would have a great laugh at the movie that has just come out called "Her" where a young guy falls in love with his operating system. Will this be the new E Harmony?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzV6mXIOVl4

Watch this space.

P.S can I just say I found the quote from Tim Berners-Lee so self indulged. That last line where he says, "The day to day mechanisms will be handled by agents, leaving humans to provide the inspiration and intuition" We humans are just that good. hehe we as a race have a fairly high opinion of ourselves don't we?