The ultimate root of AI stupidity

This is the second installment in a series. The ultimate root of the stupidity of AI systems, I argue, lies in their strictly algorithmic character. AI as presently understood is based on digital processing systems that carry out binary-numerical operations in a step-by-step fashion according to fixed sets of algorithms, starting from an array of numerical inputs. Some may object to this characterization, pointing out that AI systems can constantly change their own "rules" – reprogramming themselves, so to speak. That is true; but the self-reprogramming must follow some algorithm.