Oct 14, 2008

Testing artificial intelligence

An annual test of artificial intelligence was carried out at the University of Reading in Reading England.

During the test computers argued, cracked jokes and parried trick questions.

Typing away at split-screen terminals, a dozen volunteers carried out two conversations at once: one with a chat program, the other with a human. After five minutes, they were asked to say which was which. Some were not sure who — or what — they were talking to.

"There was one time when I was speaking to the two, and there was an element of humor in both conversations. That's the one that stumped me more than others," said Ian Andrews, one of the judges in Reading, just west of London.

More of the story here.