Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!lll-ncis!helios.ee.lbl.gov!pasteur!ames!oliveb!pyramid!ncc!aurora.AthabascaU.CA!auvax!kevinc
From: kevinc@auvax.UUCP (Kevin "auric" Crocker)
Newsgroups: comp.ai
Subject: Re: Artificial Intelligence and Intelligence
Summary: Sounds like Issac Asimov quasi-fiction
Message-ID: <833@auvax.UUCP>
Date: 7 Jan 89 05:29:45 GMT
References: <4040a289.9d8d@hi-csc.UUCP> <4639@homxc.UUCP> <15152@mimsy.UUCP>
Organization: Athabasca U., Alberta, Canada
Lines: 33

In article <15152@mimsy.UUCP>, anderson@secd.cs.umd.edu (Gary Anderson) writes:
>The successful application of  artificial intelligence tools 
>and techniques will increase the degree to which humans depend
>on machines. Clearly, human kind will be able to construct 
>smart, productive, efficient machines to carry out many important tasks
>These machines will  become  superior to humans 
>along  certain dimensions (ie computational speed, physical strength, agility,
>stamina) in specific applications.  As the performance of these machines 
>improves, and their use becomes more pervasive, we will come to
>rely on them more and more for our survival and comfort.
>These ubiquitous machines will touch the lives of nearly everyone and
>they will  be a source of great anxiety for many people.  


I couldn't help but have visions of Issac Asimov's robot and Foundation
series flitter through my consciousness as I read the above.

It sounds like such a nice productive arena to have all thoses robots
doing all the tedious, meaningless, physically trying tasks that we
humans really don't want to do.

Hmm, doesn't sound a whole lot beyond the primative first stages of
computers that we have now, what with Artificial Intelligence, and - I
know the dirty words here- Expert systems.

The almost endurable world that would permit humans to exercise their
true `right' - devotion to thinking, and pleasure.

Should I really include a |=#^ here or just a :-).

Kevin Crocker
-- 
Kevin "Auric" Crocker @Athabasca University {alberta ncc}auvax!kevinc