Receptive Environments for Artificial Intelligence

Related to the need for matching the corporate culture is the necessity for having a receptive environment for a project based on AI technology. In addition to the obvious importance of management support, developers and intended users must also become enthusiastic, or at least not antagonistic. During a tour of a heavy manufacturing facility, an Al development group was studying the feasibility of incorporating knowledge systems into the factory. At one point, they came across an old-time machinist who was operating a large metal-cutting machine equipped with extensive computer controls. However, the machinist was not using the computer controls at all; he even ignored the LCD display.