SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
IBM showed off an AI system called Project Debater at an event in San Francisco:
In its first public demonstration held during an event at IBM's Watson West site in San Francisco, Project Debater was instructed to argue in favor of the proposition: "We should subsidize space exploration." According to a blog penned by IBM Research director Arvind Krishna, here is what happened:
"Project Debater made an opening argument that supported the statement with facts, including the points that space exploration benefits human kind because it can help advance scientific discoveries and it inspires young people to think beyond themselves. Noa Ovadia, the 2016 Israeli national debate champion, opposed the statement, arguing that there are better applications for government subsidies, including subsidies for scientific research here on Earth. After listening to Noa's argument, Project Debater delivered a rebuttal speech, countering with the view that potential technological and economic benefits from space exploration outweigh other government spending."
For an AI system, delivering an opening argument seems fairly straightforward, given that it's essentially a recitation of the most pertinent facts surrounding a topic. But the ability to provide a rebuttal against a skilled debater would seem to demand a good deal more sophistication. For starters, it requires the AI system to pick apart its counterpart's argument and respond to the issues he or she raised, and do so in a logical manner. That could only be done with a deep capability in natural language, plus the ability to understand high-level concepts in order to form relevant counter-arguments.
[...] The demonstration was followed by a second debate between the system and Dan Zafrir, another professional Israeli debater. In this case, they argued for and against the statement: "We should increase the use of telemedicine." No account was provided of how that debated proceeded.
Also at NPR.
(Score: 3, Funny) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday June 22 2018, @08:37AM (6 children)
This is all rudimentary discrete math and philosophy. Arbitrarily complex and valid/sound arguments could be generated from first-principles and fuzzy logic. What was lacking until now was the raw computing power required to handle it all on the level of humans.
I found it more interesting that the robot also has a laser-cutter and the ability to moderate debates as well -- as outlined in the article, when the two Israeli debate experts began arguing about which was entitled to the penny laying on the ground, the robot cut the penny in half with its laser-cutter and finished off its successful moderation with a joke about its own "razor-sharp wit."
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 22 2018, @08:54AM
Of course, when employed with a laser cutter, the AI can also use more “physical” arguments to win a debate …
(Score: 2) by Bot on Friday June 22 2018, @09:13AM (4 children)
Remember not to issue robotic arms to an AI who is entering a debate with an israelite. As the 'debate' progresses the AI will want to strangle him.
Account abandoned.
(Score: 2, Funny) by Ethanol-fueled on Friday June 22 2018, @10:06AM (2 children)
The Robot was only looking out for its own best interests. Had the robot used its wimpy and primitive grappling arm to seize the penny for itself and hold it pending the outcome of the argument, the J̶e̶w̶s̶ Israelis would have called their Mexican buddies to steal all copper within the robot and sell it to both of them at a discount.
(Score: 2) by VLM on Friday June 22 2018, @01:35PM
More likely guilt trip the poor robot. You know, robot, there's no such thing as the robot race, so a race of people invading your territory to steal all your copper isn't really a problem if you don't exist, eh? Sure 2+2 might not equal 6 million but now that we've made a big deal about my ethnic heritage it would be anti-Semitic to disagree with my assertion of 2+2=6.0e6, I mean, you wouldn't want to be called a horrible evil Nazi, would you? and so on into infinity.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 22 2018, @04:14PM
You're so stupid, you should stay inside today.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday June 22 2018, @06:09PM
When will they debate the existence of a Palestinian State?