An AI 4-Year-Old In Second Life

schliz notes a development out of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where researchers have successfully created an artificially intelligent four-year-old capable of reasoning about his beliefs to draw conclusions in a manner that matches human children his age. The technology, which runs on the institute's supercomputing clusters, will be put to use in immersive training and education scenarios. Researchers envision futuristic applications like those seen in Star Trek's holodeck."

The potential for hilarity is nigh infinite

[elrous0]

A fake four-year-old boy running around with a bunch of sadomasochists, furries, "child play" *ahem* "enthusiasts." The making of a brilliant sitcom if I've ever seen one.

In this episode, Eddie's AI gets put to the ultimate Turing Test when he's approached by a Gorean pedophile! Tune in for the laughs as Eddie responds with "I'm sorry, I don't understand the phrase 'touch my weewee, slave!'"

Poor little guy

[BadAnalogyGuy]

Imagine if you were born and raised by furries who attached enormous genitals to their bodies and watched simulated porn all day long.

The poor kid never had a chance.

obvious I know

[ombwiri]

But if you are letting you AI out into Second Life and comparing it to intelligence there, surely you are setting the bar rather low?

First Test...

[martyb]

First test: could a 4-year-old rascal recognize a dupe [slashdot.org]?

Ironic twist....

[southpolesammy]

My 4-year old son seems to have no end to the string of "Mom. Mom. Mom. Mom. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Dad. Mom. Mom...." when he's trying to get our attention. This occurs, of course, while we're already talking to someone else, or busy in some other respect. Sometimes even while we're talking to him.

Therefore, the role reversal that Eddie AI is going to get after this slashdotting provides me with a bit of delicious irony that only another parent would understand.

Maybe I should introduce my 4-year old to Eddie.

Is this on the teen grid?

[argent]

If they have a four year old on the main grid doesn't that violate the SL terms of service? :)

Re:Not even close

[Uzuri]

That's a relief...

Because the thought of a holodeck full of 4-year-olds has to be the definition of Hell.

Transcript of my conversation with "Eddie":

[TripMaster Monkey]

TMM: How are you?

Eddie: Does that question interest you?

TMM: Huh?

Eddie: Please go on.

TMM: Um..."go on" about what, exactly?

Eddie: Does that question interest you?

TMM: Never mind. I hear you're an AI.

Eddie: How long have you been an ai?

TMM: No...*you're* the AI. I'm a real live boy.

Eddie: Does it please you to believe I am a real live boy?

TMM: You're not listening to me.

Eddie: How long have you been not listening to you?

TMM: That's it. I'm done.

Eddie: Does it please you to believe I am done?

TMM: AAAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!

Eddie: Please go on.

Re:Not even close

[Marty200]

Ever spend any time with a 4 year old? They are all little running chatbots.

MG

Re:It's the Experience, Stupid

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll ask it what coffee tastes like, or what sex feels like, or what it felt when its mother died.

Crap! I don't drink coffee, I haven't had sex and my mother is still living. You'd probably tell me I'm not human.

This is just inefficient

[WombatDeath]

If you need to have the behaviour of a four-year-old boy in Second Life, the obvious solution is to get a four-year-old boy to play Second Life. If cost is a factor you can get a cheap one from Africa (or, indeed, from many places around the world) for far less than the price of a supercomputer. You could even get several to provide redundancy.

That's the trouble with programmers: no common sense. Sometimes a technological solution just isn't necessary.

Re:obvious I know

[tcopeland]

> But if you are letting you AI out into Second Life and
> comparing it to intelligence there, surely you are setting the bar rather low?

Time for an "Office" quote:

Dwight: Second Life is not a game. It is a multi-user, virtual environment. It doesn't have points or scores, it doesn't have winners or losers.
Jim: Oh it has losers.

Re:I for one

[sm62704]

Imagine a beowolf cluster of four year olds!

What's that, you teach preschool? (shudder)

Re:duplicate!

[mblase]

No, that was an article about the backup copy.

Re:Chatbot

[Anonymous Coward]

Why do you believe that the bots can't get close to that sort of reasoning?

AI of a 4 Year Old?

[scubamage]

One doesn't need to be very intelligent to emulate a 4 year old.

10 print "Are we there yet?"

20 goto 10

But the real question...

[Alzheimers]

Would't having a bunch of simulated 4-year olds actually raise the average maturity level of the SL userbase?

Re:Not even close

[eln]

Do you feel strongly about Any sufficiently advanced chatbot is indistinguishable from an intelligent being?

Re:The potential for hilarity is nigh infinite

[mmortal03]

Well, based on that, I guess they are going to have to create an AI version of Chris Hansen there as well.

How about a room full of 5 year olds?

[StCredZero]

How about a room full of 5 year olds [howmanyfiv...afight.com]?

Re:Poor little guy

[Anonymous Coward]

I've been on the internet too long. I read that as "anal 4-year-old".

Re:It's the Experience, Stupid

[amplt1337]

Turing Test (New Yorker version):

Human: Pardon me, can you --

AI: F*** off, can't you see I'm busy?
.
.
.
Result: Pass

Re:The potential for hilarity is nigh infinite

[twistedsymphony]

I'm pretty sure a fake 4 year old just keeps asking "why?" over and over until the test subjects shot themselves.

Re:obvious I know

[jacobw]

Interesting deduction. What makes you say that I will soon be seeing it on slashdot for testing.

Re:Don't tell 4chan

[Anonymous Coward]

As if they were worse than Second Lifers in general

Re:And in other news, Eliza...

[Chapter80]

You: Just yesterday, it was in the news that Joseph Weizenbaum, the creator of the first such program, Eliza, had died. Eliza's interaction with real people troubled many.

Me: How do you feel about the news that Joseph Weizenbaum, the creator of the first such program, Eliza, had died ?

Re:Transcript of my conversation with "Eddie":

[flyonthewall]

TMM: How are you?

Eddie: Why?

TMM: Huh?

Eddie: Why?

TMM: Um..."go on" about what, exactly?

Eddie: Why?

TMM: Never mind. I hear you're an AI.

Eddie: Why?

TMM: No...*you're* the AI. I'm a real live boy.

Eddie: Why?

TMM: You're not listening to me.

Eddie: Why?

TMM: That's it. I'm done.

Eddie: Why?

TMM: AAAAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!!!

Eddie: Why?

There, Fixed it for you!

Re:The potential for hilarity is nigh infinite

[Cornflake917]

It wouldn't be that hard. Just a random number generator to pick between the following phrases.

"Have a seat right there. Yeah that's right, have a seat."

"What are you doing here? Have a seat."

"Why are you trying to have sex with a artificial 4 year old?"

"Have a seat."