With something which has been touted and even hyped for more than 50 years—as has the field of artificial intelligence—it is easy to dismiss predictions from proponents that “this time it is different.” But one of the funny things about the future is that sometimes (not always, however) “this time” really is different. To this end, I invite you to read this informative article in today’s Mercury News entitled ”Siri Lifts veil on intelligent assistant.”
I especially liked this quote: “The future of search isn’t search. It’s a conversation with someone you trust.” That “someone” will, most likely, be an artificial intelligent agent. The reason is three-fold. First, people are becoming increasingly comfortable relying on their iPhones and smartphones for a wealth of information. Thus, the idea of relying on artificial intelligence is rapidly gain ground in our culture. Second, Moore’s Law isn’t going to slow down for at least another decade which means that computers will become, at a minimum, a 1000-fold more powerful in the coming decade. Third, and most important, due to sophisticated algorithms, artificially intelligent bots can learn from your preferences as well as the preferences of others. In other words, machines can learn and get smarter at a much faster rate than us mere mortals.
Welcome to the Exponential Economy my friends. Your artificially intelligent guide stands ready to assist you on your journey.
