Smart machines still need intelligent use and guidance

There are some things that machines are simply better at doing than humans, but humans still have plenty going for them. Here's a look at how the two are going to work in concert to deliver a more powerful future for IT, and the human race. With these machines moving toward fully autonomous operation for the first time, balancing the need to exercise control over the systems versus the drive to realize business benefits is crucial, the firm says. Presenting the research findings at a Gartner symposium in Australia, research vice president Brian Prentice said Google's self-driving car project is a prime example of why pursuing full autonomy might be neither possible nor desirable in smart machines. "Human beings are still required as the final point of redundancy in an autonomous vehicle, so a fully autonomous car requires a steering wheel should a driver be required to take control," Prentice said.