An AIer's Lament

Northrop Research and Technology Center, One Research Park, Pales Wdes Peninsula, CA 90274 It, is interesting t,o note that there is no agreed upon definition of artificial intrlligence. Because government agencies ask for it, software shops claim to provide it, popular magazines and newspapers publish articles about, it, dreamers base their fant,asies on it, and pragmatists criticize and denounce it. Such a stat,c of affairs has persisted since Newell, Simon, and Shaw wrote thcif first. Not knowing exactly what we ale talking about, or expecting is typical of a new field; for example, witness the chaos that centcrcd around program verification of security rclated aspects of systems a few years ago The details are too glim to recount, in mixed company. However, artificial intelligence has been around for nearly 30 years, so one might wonder why our wheels are st,ill spinning.