1. COMP3710 Artificial Intelligence Thompson Rivers University
Uses and Limitations
COMP3710 Artificial Intelligence
Computing Science
Thompson Rivers University

2. Course Outline Part I – Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence
Uses and Limitations
Part II – Classical Artificial Intelligence
Part III – Machine Learning
Part IV – Some Advanced Topics
TRU-COMP3710
Uses and Limitations

3. Learning Outcomes Develope an argument against strong AI.
Explain why AI has become a vital area of study.
Explain how AI is used in the world today.
TRU-COMP3710
Uses and Limitations

4. Reference Chapter 2. Uses and Limitations TRU-COMP3710

5. Unit Outline The Chinese Room HAL – Fantasy or Reality?
AI in the 21st Century
TRU-COMP3710
Uses and Limitations

6. The Chinese Room Philosophical objections to strong AI
A thought experiment used to argue against strong AI.
What do you think?
TRU-COMP3710
Uses and Limitations

7. The Chinese Room Philosophical objections to strong AI
A thought experiment used to argue against strong AI.
John Searle’s Chinese Room argument
Imagine a native English speaker who knows no Chinese locked in a room full of boxes of Chinese symbols (a data base) together with a book of instructions for manipulating the symbols (the program).
Imagine that people outside the room send in other Chinese symbols which, unknown to the person in the room, are questions in Chinese (the input).
And imagine that by following the instructions in the program the man in the room is able to pass out Chinese symbols which are correct answers to the questions (the output).
The program enables the person in the room to pass the Turing Test for understanding Chinese but he does not understand a word of Chinese.
TRU-COMP3710
Uses and Limitations

8. The Chinese Room John Searle’s Chinese Room argument TRU-COMP3710
Uses and Limitations

9. The Chinese Room John Searle’s Chinese Room argument
Running a computer program that behaves in an intelligent way does not necessarily produce understanding, consciousness, or real intelligence.
This argument clearly contrasts with Turing’s view that a computer system that could fool a human into thinking it was human too would actually be intelligent.
What do you think?
One response claims that although the human in the room does not understand Chinese, the room itself does. In other words, the combination of the room, the human, the cards with Chinese characters, and the instructions form a system that in some sense is capable of understanding Chinese stories.
TRU-COMP3710
Uses and Limitations

10. HAL – Fantasy or Reality?
2001: A Space Odyssey written by Arthur C. Clarke
HAL (Heuristically programmed ALgorithmic computer) 9000 behaves, speaks and interacts with humans in much the same way that a human would.
HAL – the computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Plays chess with humans (and wins).
Reads people’s lips.
Engages in conversation with humans.
How about contemporary AI systems?
Contemporary computers can play chess, and beat most players.
Reading lips is still very hard to automate.
The conversational skills of the best systems today are still very weak.
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Uses and Limitations

11. AI in the 21st Century AI is everywhere.
Fuzzy logic is used in elevators, washing machines and cars.
Intelligent agents are used in many software applications.
Robots explore other worlds, and toy robots play with children (and some adults).
Expert systems diagnose diseases and recommend remedies.
Computer games and computer animations use AI.
Data analysis
TRU-COMP3710
Uses and Limitations