This AI just passed a science test and may be smarter than an eighth grader

The artificial intelligence system, called Aristo, just passed an eighth-grade science test, a benchmark in AI development that scientists had been aiming to reach for four years, The New York Times reports. It got an A on the quiz, correctly answering more than 90% of the questions on the test designed for New York students, and then it went on to answer questions on an exam for 12th graders, earning a solid B (80%). The AI's science prowess shows how far artificial intelligence has come at mimicking human logic, language, and decision-making. Unlike your average eighth grader, the AI, which was designed by the Allen Institute--the lab founded by the late Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen--was built solely to take multiple-choice tests. According to the Times, the researchers view standardized science tests as a more meaningful AI benchmark than the machine's ability to play chess, and Aristo passed with flying colors.