AI and Communication N’JEMA MCINTYRE AND JOEY BEAULIEU

Can Computers Think?  We know computers can compute answers  We know computers can regurgitate facts  We know computers will spit out data when computing figures  Bhttp:// do they really think?  That’s what the Chinese room was questioning.

Communication and Challenges  The computer as a communication device.  Computer used as a enhanced human communication.  CMC originally used for computing figures.  Computer seen as a form of communication  What do you use your computer for?  Is your smart phone a computer?

C M C  Computer Mediated Communication  A process of human communication via/using computers  Can a computer think?  We can only assume that, they can process information, does that mean they can think? Emotionally? Intellectually? Behaviorally?

Alan Turing: The Imitation Game   Also called “Turing Test”  “Can machines think?” is rather a meaningless question and hard to answer.  Only digital machines are considered, otherwise there’s no point.  3 parts: Store (storage), Executive unit (calculations) Contro l (following instructional responses)  Similar to Chinese Room  Turing revises the question: “Can machines communicate?”

Does the computer pass the test?  Transmitted through CMC or “chat rooms”  Man (A) Women (B) Interrogator of either sex (C), run test  Distinguishing genders  Swap (A) with digital computer, run test  Will the Interrogator (C), make the wrong choice as often?  Intelligence is not observed, but rather shown or demonstrated  “ANYTHING that communicates up to human standards (machine, animal, alien) is considered intelligent” – Turing

Philosophical Approach  “The Other Minds Problem”  One determining if another is really “thinking”  No access to human mind  No access to inner mechanics of computer system  Rene Descartes: Logical/critical thinker  What’s the difference between humans, animals, and machines?  Machine vs Machine, both looking/behaving like humans

Chinese Thought Experiment Man (operator) locked in a room Someone outside gives messages in Chinese Operator goes into the data to find matching symbols Operator has “instructions” or “rules” to match the symbols and follow the assigned response They communicate in Chinese If the “rule book” is large enough, they can have a conversation about anything

Experiment Results/Conclusions  The man (operator) can convince the messenger that he speaks Chinese  They can communicate all day long  But NONE if it has any meaning to him  The operator only follows the instructions and responses given to him  This is what happens inside the “thinking” computer!

Argument  Not everyone agrees  Does the system as a whole understand Chinese?  Ultimate Question: How do the physical parts, pieces, and components ever match real life human experiences?

Conclusion  Alan Turing’s Imitation game tests if computers can really “think” or respond intelligently  The Chinese Room gives an interesting perspective: Does the operator really know Chinese? Does the system at large really know Chinese? To what extent will it match human experiences?  In the near future, many advancements will be made to simplify the complications of AI and communication. This is only the beginning