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From: kbc@mdbs.UUCP (Kevin Castleberry)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: The future of AI [was Re: Time Magazine -- Computers of the Future]
Message-ID: <882@mdbs.UUCP>
Date: 3 Apr 88 18:11:49 GMT
References: <962@daisy.UUCP> <2070011@otter.hple.hp.com>
Reply-To: kbc@mdbs.UUCP (Kevin Castleberry)
Organization: Micro Database Systems, Inc., Lafayette IN
Lines: 49

> It should increase the skill of the 
>person doing the job by doing those things which are boring
>or impractical for humans but possible for computers.
>
	.
	.
	.
> When sharing a job
>with a computer which tasks are best automated and which best 
>given to the human - not just which is it possible to automate!
For the most part, this is what I see happening in the truly succesful
ES applications I see implemented.  Occasionally there is one that provides
a solution to a problem so complex that humans did not try.  Most of
the time it is just providing the human a quicker and more reliable way
to get the job done so s/he can move on to more interesting tasks.

>Perhaps computers will free people up so that they can go back
>to doing some of the tasks that we currently have machines do
>- has anyone thought of it that way?  
>
I certainly have observed this.  Often the human starts out doing interesting
designing, problem solving etc., but then gets bogged down in the necessities
of keeping the *system* running.  I have observed such automation giving
humans back the job they enjoy.

>And if we are going to do people out of jobs then we'd better
>start understanding that a person is still valuable even if 
>they do not do "regular work". 
My own belief is if systems aren't developed to help us work smarter
then the jobs will disappear anyway to the company that does develop such
systems.


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Kevin Castleberry (kbc)
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