Why we should all be interested in artificial intelligence

Turing researchers recently made a written submission in which they answered key questions like these from the House of Lords inquiry into artificial intelligence on the implications and future of AI in the UK. Here we look at some of the highlights. Algorithms, according to Turing Visiting Researcher Simon DeDeo, "have the potential to transform the material, social, and political landscape… and alter the basic rhythms of human life in a fashion last seen at the beginning of the Industrial Revolution." A key example of this transformation effect is health, as raised by Turing Fellow Maria Liakata who discussed the way it can combine different data sources and transform the way diseases are diagnosed, monitored and treated. What is the future of AI? Turing Fellow David Barber was called in front of the Committee to give oral evidence, and said that: "where we are right now is what we call perceptual AI. If somebody speaks, the machine can transcribe into words what you are saying, but the machine does not understand what you are saying. It does not understand who you are or the relationship of objects in this environment. The bigger fruit out there is the reasoning AI; really understanding what these objects are, being able to query this machine and get sensible answers back. That is the biggest and most exciting challenge that all the tech giants are currently desperately seeking to solve. For whoever solves that, the world is their oyster."