AI Pushing the Boundaries of Space Exploration

An anonymous reader writes "An interesting look at how artificial intelligence will help probes to undertake more complex missions in deep space, aid robot rovers in exploring other planets and improve satellites' ability to monitor activities on earth."

Comments

Re:The term "AI"

[LWATCDR]

Funny but I have came up with the same definition about 20 years ago. I just simplified it.
AI is what programs don't do well yet. I remember reading old books where things like playing checkers and Chess where considered AI problems.

In 1998 Deep Space 1 had Lisp aboard...

[billrp]

...as a remote agent, and actually controlled the craft for a few days.

Re:Knowledge systems are not wisdom systems

[timeOday]

Except we already have *manned* missions, whose decision tree is mysterious and seemingly unbounded, and navigated by a bunch of chemicals sloshing around in a bag of water.

There's no reason automated systems couldn't eventually earn the same level of trust that we place in humans.

Re:IBM+1 (irony)

[MyLongNickName]

And that is just it... somehow we have this image that once we impart logic and "artificial intelligence" into a machine that it will somehow trascend into a god-like being. It will be just as limited and flawed as we are, but in different ways that we won't expect and may not be able to correct for.

And my other problem... what is the end goal of an intelligent artificial entity? Humans are driven by biological urges that have been ingrained into us over billions of years. What if the intelligence realized there is no real point to "life" and just chooses to end it all?