Turing on the integration of human and machine intelligence
Citation
Sterrett, S. G. Turing on the integration of human and machine intelligence. In: Turing 100, Boston Studies in the Philosophy and History of Science, Juliet Floyd and Alisa Bokulich, eds. (Springer Verlag, expected date of publication 2016).
Abstract
Philosophical discussion of Alan Turing’s writings on intelligence has mostly revolved
around a single point made in a paper published in the journal Mind in 1950. This is unfortunate,
for Turing’s reflections on machine (artificial) intelligence, human intelligence, and the relation
between them were more extensive and sophisticated. They are seen to be extremely well-considered
and sound in retrospect. Recently, IBM developed a question-answering computer (Watson) that could
compete against humans on the game show Jeopardy! There are hopes it can be adapted to other
contexts besides that game show, in the role of a collaborator of, rather than a competitor to,
humans. Another, different, research project --- an artificial intelligence program put into
operation in 2010 --- is the machine learning program NELL (Never Ending Language Learning), which
continuously ‘learns’ by ‘reading’ massive amounts of material on millions of web pages. Both of
these recent endeavors in artificial intelligence rely to some extent on the integration of human
guidance and feedback at various points in the machine’s learning process. In this paper, I examine
Turing’s remarks on the development of intelligence used in various kinds of search, in light of
the experience gained to date on these projects.
Description
Invited contribution to volume in Boston Studies in the Philosophy of Science series, edited by
Juliet Floyd and Alisa Bokulich, to commemorate 100th anniversary of Alan Turing's birth.