Junior Skynet Passed the Turing Test

Computer becomes first to pass Turing Test in artificial intelligence milestone

A programme that convinced humans that it was a 13-year-old boy has become the first computer ever to pass the Turing Test. The test — which requires that computers are indistinguishable from humans — is considered a landmark in the development of artificial intelligence, but academics have warned that the technology could be used for cybercrime.

Computing pioneer Alan Turing said that a computer could be understood to be thinking if it passed the test, which requires that a computer dupes 30 per cent of human interrogators in five-minute text conversations.

Fools one third of scientists in five minutes? That seems like a pretty low bar. Scientists fool each other and themselves all the time.

On the other hand,  know a lot of people who probably wouldn't pass that.

Eugene Goostman, a computer programme made by a team based in Russia, succeeded in a test conducted at the Royal Society in London. It convinced 33 per cent of the judges that it was human, said academics at the University of Reading, which organised the test.

It is thought to be the first computer to pass the iconic test. Though other programmes have claimed successes, those included set topics or questions in advance.

A version of the computer programme, which was created in 2001, is hosted online for anyone talk to. (“I feel about beating the turing test in quite convenient way. Nothing original,” said Goostman, when asked how he felt after his success.)

See, I'm not sure he'd pass. . .

The computer programme claims to be a 13-year-old boy from Odessa in Ukraine.

"Our main idea was that he can claim that he knows anything, but his age also makes it perfectly reasonable that he doesn't know everything," said Vladimir Veselov, one of the creators of the programme. "We spent a lot of time developing a character with a believable personality."

If they gave it the personality of a Marilyn Monroe, and the voice of Scarlet Johannson, I can virtually guarantee they'd fool most of the male judges, but almost none of the women. How much do you expect from a blond

Of course, she could really be one of Skynet's children. . .



Sorry, the dialog is in Russian, but the dialog was never the point, anyway. And a belated acknowledgement of the Wombat-socho's giant Rule 5 manifesto: "Rule 5 Sunday: Floating."