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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."

28 of 234 comments (clear)

  1. The potential for hilarity is nigh infinite by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Funny
    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!'"

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
    1. Re:The potential for hilarity is nigh infinite by mmortal03 · · Score: 2, Funny

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

    2. Re:The potential for hilarity is nigh infinite by twistedsymphony · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    3. Re:The potential for hilarity is nigh infinite by Cornflake917 · · Score: 2, Funny

      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."

  2. Poor little guy by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    1. Re:Poor little guy by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

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

  3. obvious I know by ombwiri · · Score: 5, Funny

    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?

    1. Re:obvious I know by tcopeland · · Score: 5, Funny
      > 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.
    2. Re:obvious I know by jacobw · · Score: 2, Funny

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

  4. First Test... by martyb · · Score: 4, Funny

    First test: could a 4-year-old rascal recognize a dupe?

  5. Ironic twist.... by southpolesammy · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

    --
    Rule #1 -- Politics always trumps technology.
  6. Is this on the teen grid? by argent · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  7. Re:Not even close by Uzuri · · Score: 5, Funny

    That's a relief...

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

    --
    I'm a she-slashdotter... but I make up for it by living with my folks.
  8. Transcript of my conversation with "Eddie": by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

    1. Re:Transcript of my conversation with "Eddie": by flyonthewall · · Score: 2, Funny

      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!

      --
      "The avalanche has already started. It's too late for the pebbles to vote." - Kosh
  9. Re:Not even close by Marty200 · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    MG

    --

    Randomly distributing Karma whenever possible.

  10. Re:It's the Experience, Stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    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.
  11. This is just inefficient by WombatDeath · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

  12. Re:I for one by sm62704 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Imagine a beowolf cluster of four year olds!

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

    --
    mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
  13. Re:duplicate! by mblase · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, that was an article about the backup copy.

  14. Re:Chatbot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

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

  15. AI of a 4 Year Old? by scubamage · · Score: 1, Funny

    One doesn't need to be very intelligent to emulate a 4 year old. 10 print "Are we there yet?" 20 goto 10

  16. But the real question... by Alzheimers · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  17. Re:Not even close by eln · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  18. How about a room full of 5 year olds? by StCredZero · · Score: 2, Funny
  19. Re:It's the Experience, Stupid by amplt1337 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Turing Test (New Yorker version):

    Human: Pardon me, can you --

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

    --
    Freedom isn't free; its price is the well-being of others.
  20. Re:Don't tell 4chan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    As if they were worse than Second Lifers in general

  21. Re:And in other news, Eliza... by Chapter80 · · Score: 2, Funny
    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 ?