Constraints on AI and robotic advances

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Margeret Boden on the next questions to answer in the field of AI

Machines are very much better at understanding than they were before. They’re able to solve subtle things, pick up nuances in word usage, and so forth. But none of that is grounded in true human understanding. We need to understand what the brain is doing and how it’s doing it. Deep learning and other advances continue to generate useful applications, but considerable work remains at the analytical level to understand how human cognition works in supporting problem-solving and critical thinking and creativity.

You don’t subscribe to the idea of the “singularity” then, the idea that computing will reach or match the level of human intelligence?

The human mind is the most advanced system we have, and language in particular is hugely complex. AI and computing have progressed tremendously, but the capabilities remain quite limited. I doubt that computing will ever fully replicate the potential of the human mind, certainly not within the next few decades.

What’s next for AI - Margaret Boden. (2015, September 11). IBM Cognitive Advantage Reports. http://www.ibm.com/watson/advantage-reports/future-of-artificial-intelligence/margaret-boden.html