FAQ - SETIAI

Setiai.com's Frequently Asked Questions:

Is there a computer (or robot) in existence today which is as intelligent as a human being?

How intelligent is the most intelligent computer/robot today?

How long before computers are as intelligent as humans?

But surely a computer can never, on philosophical or spiritual grounds, be as intelligent as a human?

Answers:

Is there a computer (or robot) in existence today which is as intelligent as a human being?

No. To date, there is no man-made computer, or robot, which is even remotely as intelligent as a human being.

How intelligent is the most intelligent computer today?

The most powerful supercomputer in the world, ASCI White, is estimated to have a few hundredths the processing power of the human brain. This supercomputer, however, was designed to perform tasks very different to those which the brain can perform. It is very good at calculating the maths involved in simulating nuclear explosions, for example, but is completely unable to display human behaviours such as learning and curiosity.

One of the most advanced robots, on the other hand, which is able to display a certain level of human-like intelligence, is the COG Robot project at MIT. Whilst this robot is clearly not conscious, is has been able to learn surprisingly life-like movements, such as fixating its eyes on a moving object, and reaching out its arms to touch things.

How long before computers become as intelligent as humans?

Some experts estimate in less than 30 years, i.e. by the year 2030. This date is arrived at by extrapolating Moore's law which says that computer power doubles every 18 months. Thirty years, however, is probably the most optimistic of estimates. Others estimate it will take a hundred, or even many hundreds, of years.

But surely a computer can never, on philosophical or spiritual grounds, be as intelligent as a human?

Well, this is certainly possible. It could be that the mind, or the soul, is something special which simply can't be recreated in the brain of a robot. This is the view of many religious, or scientifically uneducated, people. The general view of neuroscientists and artificial intelligence researchers, however, is that computers will, eventually, become as intelligent as humans. The only truth at the moment is that we simply don't know.