t sales patterns missed by conventional data-mining programs. Lenat expects Cyc to be ready to take charge of its own research lab by 2020. He expects Cyc to design unique experiments and uncover new knowledge. MITs Brooks has similar dreams for Cogs offspring, but the timetable is less certain, because Cog got off to a later start. It was conceived just five years ago, after a Jan 12, 1992, part that Brooks gave to celebrate the birthday of HAL, the AI system in 2001: A Space Odyssey. After brooding about the lack of anything close to HAL, Brooks decided he had to take a stab at it.If all goes well as more behaviors are added, such as a sense of touch and then smell, Brooks knows what he wants the results to be: something like Lt Commander Data, the super-smart android on Star Trek. How long might that take? Brooks doesnt know. But maybe, around 2020, these two will mellow out and give us Commander Cycog.What does this have to do with business? Well just think of the possibilities of a work force that never gets tired, requires little or no supervision and has the knowledge of the entire human race at its fingertips so to speak. The ramifications are staggering. This could be the only way that extended space travel may be undertaken. These AI Robots/Systems with virtual impunity could do extremely dangerous tasks, which would normally require a human to perform. Additionally, a work force of these machines could greatly increase production while lower overall cost of production. With no payroll, a company also doesnt have to provide costly benefits. With the ability to learn these machines could be taught production changes in a fraction of the time required training a human workforce. Thereby reducing the time required to spin/tool up a new or modified production line, once again resulting in a cost saving to the company and ultimately the consumer.ConclusionIs artificial intelligence attainable? All the experts seem...
