Can artificial intelligence become truly creative? We ask an expert to find out

In the lead up to Pausefest, we sat down with AI expert Dr. John R. Smith from IBM to find out if robots can ever become truly creative. Why is artificial intelligence an important avenue to explore within the realms of technology? Researchers have actually been exploring AI and machine learning technologies for decades, even though it's really only been the past few years that it's gained traction outside of the lab. AI represents a new kind of computing - one that can learn through experience, much like humans do, and interact with humans in a more natural way than was previously possible. At IBM we believe that it will transform the world in dramatic ways - from things simple as how we interact with our devices and computers to access information (think voice recognition), to more profound ways like healthcare, cancer and climate change.