The prospects for artificial intelligence

Abstract

Planning for the continuing and accelerating impact of the computer revolution is becoming more difficult as the field of artificial intelligence makes broader inroads into the automation of intellectual functions. Increasingly, decision making formerly done exclusively by humans will fall within the scope of automation, and the societal changes will be great. However, AI still lacks deep insight into the fundamental nature of human thought and experience, and theoretical breakthroughs of major proportion will be needed before machines will (or ought to) replace humans for many purposes. Surprisingly, many areas of human activity that appear to be purely logical and factual, and even seemingly trivial, will not soon be achievable by computers.