Re: [agi] Dr. Turing, I presume?

[deering]

Ben, you are absolutely correct.  It was my intention to exaggerate the situation a bit without actually crossing the line.  But I don't think it is much of an exaggeration to say that a 'baby' Novamente even with limited hardware and speed is a tremendous event in the history of life on Earth.  A phase change starts with one molecule.  As computers are becoming more powerful and nanotech capabilities reach closer to the ultimate goal of molecular positional assembly the world will cross a threshold similar to supercooled water where one triggering event will set off a chain reaction causing a phase change to ice throughout the entire mass.  Okay, I'm exaggerating again, but not much.  The money men know it is coming.  But they have been burned so many times before in the A.I. category that they are not willing to touch the stove again, unless someone can show them something that works.  It doesn't have to be a finished product, just something that demonstrates a new capability.  Your 'baby' Novamente or Peter's proof-of-concept example or James Rogers' who-knows-super-secret-whatits will trigger a phase change in funding for AGI.  The practical applications are unlimited.  The profit potential is unlimited.  That's why the money men threw away so much twenty years ago on projects that didn't have a ghost of a chance and got burned.  I'm not saying that your 'baby' Novemente will change the whole world overnight all by itself.  But any working example of AGI, no matter how limited, will trigger a complicated chain reaction in the economy and mindset of the world.  The initial example, whatever it is, may turn out to be a flawed design of limited usefulness (I wouldn't want to see scaled-up jumbo 'Wright Flyers' populating airport terminals) but it will not matter.  Just look at the funding that GOOGLE has attracted with some cleverly written but dumb (non-AGI) rules.  To unsubscribe, change your address, or temporarily deactivate your subscription, please go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/[EMAIL PROTECTED]