Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!usc!samsung!munnari.oz.au!metro!grivel!gara!pnettlet From: pnettlet@gara.une.oz.au (Philip Nettleton) Newsgroups: comp.ai Subject: What AI is exactly. Summary: Let's look a what AI really is, not just some airy-fairy notions. Message-ID: <3543@gara.une.oz.au> Date: 6 Sep 90 02:43:59 GMT References: <34175@eerie.acsu.Buffalo.EDU> <25392@boulder.Colorado.EDU> <3797@se-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM> Organization: University of New England, Armidale, Australia Lines: 116 In article <3797@se-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM>, jim@se-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Jim Ruehlin, Cognitologist domesticus) writes: > In article <38294@siemens.siemens.com> wood@jfred.siemens.edu (Jim Wood) writes: > > Artificial Intelligence is a computer science and engineering > > discipline which attempts to model human reasoning methods > > computationally. > > > > I think this is a pretty good definition, taken from the engineers point > of view. A psychologist might take a different view of the definition/ > purpose of AI. > > One thing I'd include is that it's a cognitive psychological as well as > computer science and engineering discipline. You have to know something > about how people think in order to model human reasoning methods. I think it is a terribly poor definition, actually, for the following reasons: a) Human Intelligence is NOT the only form of intelligence. This is an extremely one eyed view point. Dolphins are extremely intelligent and the only reason we cannot communicate with them to date is because of the extreme differences in our vocal ranges and auditory senses. There is also a huge cultural gap. What concerns do dolphins have? What form does their communication take? We need to know these BEFORE we can even look at syntax and semantics. Hence their intelligence is very alien to ours. b) People tend to assume that at machine cannot be intelligent. Human Intelligence is well documented, much research has been done into Animal Intelligence, but what of Machine Intelligence? Is there a specific type of intelligence that a machine can have? Is there any need to base this intelligence on Human or Animal Intelligence? Saying that AI is modelling "Human Intelligence" is totally inadequate. It may not even be possible because we have such a limited understanding of the processes involved. Artificial Intelligence means: An intelligent system designed by mankind to run on a man-made artifact, ie, a computer. The term Machine Intelligence is more succinct because it identifies the type of intelligence created. Please no arguments about: What is intelligence? This has been discussed ad nauseum, and obviously, we don't know. However, it must exibit intelligence behaviour. With regards to intelligent human behaviour, we can test this with the Turing Test. As for intelligent animal behaviour, there is no appropriate test. And what is intelligent behaviour for a machine? It could be quite alien in appearance from the other two. Let us produce a general requirement for intelligent behaviour: a) The system MUST be able to learn. This implies that the system MUST have a memory for learning to be maintained. Also learning comes in a number of varieties: i) It MUST be able to learn from its own experiences. These can be broken down into further criteria: 1) Learning through trial and error. 2) Learning through observation. 3) Learning through active deduction (see reasoning). ii) It SHOULD be able to learn by instruction, but this is not necessary. At the very least the system MUST have preprogrammed instincts. This is a boot strap for the developing intelligence. Without a starting point, the system cannot progress. b) The system MUST be autonomous. This can be disected as: i) The system MUST be able to effect its environment based on its own independent conclusions. ii) The system MUST be its own master and therefore doesn't require operator intervention. iii) The system MUST be motivated. It must have needs and requirements that can to be satisfied by its own actions. c) The system MUST be able to reason. That is to say, it must use some form of deductive reasoning, based on known facts and capable of producing insights (deductions) which later become known facts. d) The system MUST be self aware. This is related to autonomy, reasoning and learning, but also embodies the need for external senses. Without external senses there is no way of appreciating the difference between "me" and "outside of me". Sensationations of pain and pleasure can provide motivation. It is clear to see that a human easily satisfies these requirements and so is an intelligent system. A cat also satisfies these requirements. So we now have a common basis for known intelligent behaviour. An intelligent machine would need to satisfy these requirements to be classed as an intelligent system. One last point of clarifaction: The ENVIRONMENT in which the intelligent system operates need not be the physical environment of the world around us. It could be a computer environment. I invite responses from those who would like to clarify any points made here or those who would like to extend or advance further points into a constructive debate. But please, if you are hung up on the divity of the human race or you want to bring the Searle debate into this, do us all a favour and refrain. With Regards, Philip Nettleton, Tutor in Computer Science, Department of Maths, Stats, and Computing, The University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, 2351, AUSTRALIA.