EETimes - Bringing Common Sense to 'Brittle' AI Algorithms

The ongoing recalibration of AI research and development underscores a fundamental tenet of machine learning: We must learn to crawl before we can walk. Thus far, AI hype has mostly talked the talk rather than walking the walk. Returning to what appear to be engineering first principles, U.S. research efforts are attempting to move beyond current "brittle" AI models that excel at only specific tasks. The goal is developing more generalized models that can adapt much like humans do in new situations. Among those efforts is a Machine Common Sense program overseen by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) that seeks to imbue machine learning models with the kinds of commonplace reasoning displayed by among the fastest learners on the planet: infants.