Can machines think like us?

This is something that most technology companies have been working upon since the early 1900’s. Though there has been a few breakthroughs’ throughout the century. The idea of the machine thinking like us is not that far away from being achieved. So let’s explore on how this fundamental idea of machines thinking like man arrived and then it’s for the readers to decide whether the machines can think like us?

WHAT IS A MACHINE?

A machine is equipment which includes moving parts that are designed to carry out a certain job or function.

The evolution of machines, since the early 1700’s machines were mechanical in nature, that included automobiles, manufacturing machines and common day to day equipment’s with a pulley and lever. At its time, these machines were able to function a single task with comparatively better efficiency than human employees. Though the repair cost was significant, that was easily recovered with the output delivered by these machines.

The initial automation journey had begun by the invention of the all electronic desktop calculator in the year 1956, the first machine that solved mathematical problems with the help of electronic circuits rather than manual mechanism, it did play fair share of contribution to create a concept of universal machine or a.k.a Computer aided with Artificial Intelligence.

The idea of this complex machine was initiated in the early 1800’s, by the first computer invented Charles Babbage between 1873 – 1871. Where still remained the challenge that a computer was successful in accomplishing a single task like for example playing checkers, calculating etc. with utmost efficiency, but that was too early for it to be regarded as a “Thinking Machine.”

In the year 1950, Dr. Alan Turing had invested time in taking the challenges of then mathematicians such as David Hilbert head on by solving the challenge of a computer actively engaging in multiple tasks, by introducing the code phrase ‘Computing’. Dr. Alan Turing clearly envisioned the function of a computer as a series of tasks it needs to achieve with a help of a guideline which we now call as coding commands in computer programming.

Must Read: WHO IS ALAN M TURING ? WHAT IS THE TURING TEST?

Many technological enthusiast further created various versions of computer that solved minuscule problems with high energy driven memory disks and floppies. So did many computer versions perform tasks multitasking in nature through computing, at that time the challenge the computer programmers faced were, that machines required a huge amount of data to be uploaded to conduct such simple tasks, which our human brains could easily solve.

That is when the idea of Artificial Intelligence came to existence, the challenge was how do we measure whether we have achieved AI?, the late Dr. Alan Turing created an imitation game called as the “Turing Test” which competes with a human to understand its logical thinking abilities. This testing protocol laid a foundation in measuring the capabilities of AI at that time,.i.e.1950.

Though widely used even today, many researchers believed this testing protocol has its limitations which excludes human emotions, social requirements, Common logic (Common sense), understand towards human feelings and values and understanding the words and its underlying meanings etc.

So far we have seen various AI bots like Eliza, Sophia and other bots from Hansen Robotics who without a doubt were spectacular, but apart from being a wonder machine it did not yet very well qualify the human like interactions.

LIMITATIONS & CHALLENGES

Even today, many robotics engineers have not been able to fully understand the functions of the human brain, such that replicating the same has been a challenge. So far most AI’s have been successful in incorporating logical, conversational, emotional (To Some extent) behaviors, though these facets can be easily replicated with today’s technologies, our understanding to the fact of common sense and what drives common sense is still a mystery.

I am certain that fully unlocking this technology is not that far it will be achievable within this decade; The question is what are we going to do with this technology? It does not matter whether machines can think like us or not? What would it be doing with this level of intelligence? Is it creation or destruction?  

What is Machine Learning? Is it Important?

After hearing a lot of news and updates on Artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, neuralink etc we often times wonder whether these technological concepts are different or whether they are related, well if you have been in Information Technology domain for quite some time, I am certain you are quite familiar with these terms.

As we all are towards a era of digital transformation, these technological developments will change or rather evolve our existing environment to a more dynamic state. So today i thought it is important to help everyone form a non- technology background to understand what is machine learning? why is machine learning different? what are the advantages of machine learning and moreover the limitation of machine learning?

TERMINOLOGY “MACHINE LEARNING”

The term “Machine Learning” was a phrase first used by Arthur Samuel in the year 1952. This was when Arthur Samuel while working for IBM had designed a computer that could play checkers and learn various winning patterns algorithms each time it is used for a play. This was back in the year 1950. The concept of machine learning in simple words is derived form a machines ability to decipher and learn a function at the same time, by getting better each time based on the data accumulated in its memory.

HISTORY

In the late 1700’s the use of machine became a necessity because of it input vs output ratio, quality and more importantly improved the efficiency at an extreme level, due to industrialization. When these machines performed varied tasks in the manufacturing segment the entire workflow became very robust and efficient, but this still needed human intervention as these machines can only perform a task under human supervision or help.

This still was not enough as many manufacturing units had to invest on both machines and labor relentlessly, that’s when the thought of computer arised where in machines could complete a task successfully based on the need of the task.

That’s when the thought of modern computer came to rise in the early 1870’s and this equipment was less mechanical and more technical. which was still far away from achieving a machine that works and achieves a single task with utmost efficiency. In the early 1900’s, a British Mathematician, James Hilbert went on to identify the possibilities on how a computer can solve a problem or a task by deciphering information in the form of data, there were multiple challenges he was thrown at, the most important one included whether a computer can handle multiple tasks with perfection and creativity.

That’s when Arthur Samuel and team of experts came up with the discovery of the computer that played checkers in the early 1950’s. The fundamental of machine learning further progressed to what it is today because of a major contribution by late Dr. Alan Mathias Turing, who went to explore on the concept “Can machines think like humans?” based on his further research identified that a computer accurately completes and learns a particular task based on the readily available data or the data it has acquired through experience.

This still didn’t solve the challenge in hand, which was can machines multitask and learn simultaneously, here is where Dr. Alan Turing visualized the entire process by which he created the fundamentals of computer science, i.e. In order for a machine to perform a series of task, it must have a set guidelines that it could follow in order to achieve the set goal simultaneously learn different other possibilities based on the pre-recorded data. This entire process is called computing in modern world.

ADVANTAGES OF MACHINE LEARNING

We are living in fast paced world, where information is the key. This information in the environment comes down to binaries i.e. 1’s and 0’s. Today complex problems are solved with the aid of machines and it has helped us to grow to a significant level. These are some of the advantages that machine learning has contributed to and may contribute in future.

• Machines have been able to help us automate various types operational activities across various industrial verticals through digital transformation.
• Machine learning has helped us a step further in creating computers with its own brain, which are able to multi-task with minimal errors.
• With the help of machine learning, large amounts of binary data available in for each process are easily stored, analyzed and are made available at any given point of time.
• As machine learning function improved, it created opportunities around other technological functions such as Big Data Analytics, IoT, SAAS, PAAS, IAAS, etc.
• Today, machine learning capabilities are applied in the fields of Healthcare, Archaeology, Manufacturing, Stock Market, Banking & Finance Services, Trade & Commerce, etc.

LIMITATIONS OF MACHINE LEARNING

Though machine learning has contributed effectively in advancing our technological infrastructure, there are numerous downsides of this piece of technology

• As I have explained earlier machine learning is made possible when the there is enough data for it to process a take the needful action instructed to the machine at the time of programming, but this piece of information in wrong hands can impact to technological terrorism.
• We are well aware of eCommerce companies, social media platforms use Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to understand and exploit the buying behavior. Many may disagree with this fact, but think again are you really buying what you need? or are you just buying what they want you to take? Information is good but, it must not be exploited for business or entrepreneur or political gains. We have also seen multiple times the social media platforms support certain political views and misguide the users to win their agenda in the form of campaigns.
• We know that the COVID-19 situation itself caused Pay-cuts and loss of jobs even in sectors which were not impacted, it clearly shows that on entrepreneurs exploit the situation at hand, so just imagine, if the machine learning was adopted globally and narrow artificial intelligence is adopted too, do you really think you would still keep your jobs? I have heard this argument a couple of times that use of AI will create new jobs, my question to them is for how many? and what type of knowledge and credentials are required to apply for such a position?

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Who is Alan M Turing ? What is the Turing Test?

We all have been often discussing about technology, computer and programming. But we often time miss the facts and the importance that Mathematicians, Philanthropists, Scientists have put into inventing the so the called “Thinking Machine”. I know many regard and value the importance of the computer and inventor “Charles Babbage” but one lesser know fact is that computer in the early 1900’s was just a mere calculator solving simple mathematical challenges.

The breakthrough of the thought of computer through processing and conducting complex tasks were firstly acknowledged by the German Mathematician David Hilbert in the early 1900’s. Once believed that that it was nearly impossible to create a complex machine to think and work like human. That brings us Dr. Alan Mathison Turing.

Dr. Alan Mathison Turing, was an English Mathematician, Computer Scientist and Logician also known as “The Father of Modern Computer Science.” A computer we know today, the modern thinking machine was brought to us as a reality by Dr. Alan Turing’s imagination of creating fundamental principals of computer programming which is used even today. Unfortunately due to him being homosexual he was disregarded of his contributions, though not completely erased from history, his major testing protocol designed to test artificial intelligence has gained limelight.

WHAT IS THE TURING TEST?

Dr. Alan Turing designed a protocol or series of commands that a computer can adapt and follow and provide a required output, but in all the given situations a computer was to be given a set of guidelines that it needs to follow, based on these principles a series of engineers and mathematicians evolved various generations of computers that moved from extensive mechanical formulations to more of computing elements. This is where thoughts about creating a machine with deep learning and artificial intelligence evolved, where in many mathematicians disregarded the thought of a machine thinking like a human. The greatest challenge that Artificial Intelligence lacks even today is common sense.

Isn’t it funny that we humans disregard the fact of common sense to be of not much importance, but this is the only reason why computers or the Artificial Intelligence couldn’t pass the Turing test in the past!

below is the illustration on Turing Test

Illustration 1. The Turing Test by Dr. Alan Mathison Turing

The Turing Test is an imitation game designed by late Dr. Alan Mathison Turing in 1950, to measure the capabilities of a computer on its thinking ability in comparison with human beings. At this time the initial concept of artificial intelligence was derived. As shown in the above Illustration, the Turing test requires 3 components,

1. Computer (Artificial Intelligence (AI) driven)

2. A Human Participant

3. A Human Questioner or Judge

In order for the Turing test to work, the judge or the Questioner asks a series of questions to the AI driven Computer and the human participant, this series of questions are asked to monitor the thought process of the AI on its creative element and thoughtfulness. Replicating a human brain by itself isn’t easy, because its nature’s best biological machine and anything mimicking a human brain needs to quantified on three elements which includes logic, emotion and common sense.

LIMITATIONS OF THE TURING TEST

Though Turing test had its principle’s designed firmly, ever since the AI Eliza successfully passed the Turing test for the first time, the test showed certain flaws which missed on considering the human emotions, common sense, thoughtful ideas also it was still far away from real thinking.

In this test the answers were limited to a ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ which lacked detailing and explanation on choice of such an answer, it was hugely criticized for its major limitation of majorly considering the intellectual attribute of human brain, where it was important for the Artificial Intelligence to understand human emotions, desires, wishes and dreams as these are primary motivators for any human being.

Despite of all the limitation we still believe that Dr. Alan Turing definitely has made a significant contribution to field of computer science. Not just limiting to computing but also with an exuberant vision of AI to be for in 50 years. Well , to say the least he wasn’t wrong.

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