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Nidhi Thakur: #Is that really you?

February 4, 2013 00:32

Brunch (Photo credit: shareski)

It is really ironic that the moment I read this topic in Brunch, I didn’t turn to the 50 people sitting around me at work. Instead, I logged onto my Twitter account and posted a tweet asking a bunch of strangers for their valuable inputs and bounced ideas and theories off them. What is funny is that discussing it with people didn’t even occur to me. Also, before posting the tweet, I didn’t spend a second to decide whether I agreed with the viewpoint or not. But the response I received just endorsed my subconscious decision.

Today we live in an age where a city-wide distance from our loved ones doesn’t hurt us as much as the detachment we feel when we charge our phone and it’s inaccessible. So important has virtual acceptance become, that we do not realise how and when it takes over our real existence.

Continue reading on Brunch…

Markham Nolan: How to separate fact and fiction online

December 13, 2012 00:27

TED: Markham Nolan: How to separate fact and fiction online – Markham Nolan (2012)(ted.com)

Julia Gillard: What she said, really meant and definitely didn’t

December 8, 2012 13:18

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Watch Prime Minister Julia Gillard Announce The End Of The World(gizmodo.com.au)
Gillard holds back on green delegation(bigpondnews.com)
Gillard survived but she didn’t fix anything(thepunch.com.au)
Julia Gillard – Apocalypse Now(merovee.wordpress.com)
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard: End of the World(masonjarsports.com)
Gillard backing doomsdayers(stuff.co.nz)
Gillard stands by misogyny speech(bigpondnews.com)
Doomsday: Australian PM Julia Gillard predicts the end of the world(metro.co.uk)
WATCH: Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard Warns Doomsday Is Coming in Spoof Video(foxnewsinsider.com)

Mulayam Singh Yadav: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

December 3, 2012 16:13

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Mulayam can lead third front: ND Tiwari(economictimes.indiatimes.com)
Mulayam’s 7th kin in SP list for LS polls(economictimes.indiatimes.com)
Mulayam keeps option open on race for PM’s post(economictimes.indiatimes.com)
After Amar Singh, Mulayam Will Save Khurshid: Kejriwal(news.outlookindia.com)
Mulayam As Next PM?: SP Chief Keeps Option Open(news.outlookindia.com)
SP workers celebrate Mulayam’s 74th birthday(economictimes.indiatimes.com)
Mulayam, Akhilesh Meet Tiwari in Lucknow(news.outlookindia.com)
Mulayam right choice for PM’s post, says N.D. Tiwari(thehindu.com)

Googli Hoogli: Of Digvijaya Singh, Arvind Kejriwal and Rakhi Sawant

November 13, 2012 12:04

Laloo Prasad Yadav: What he said, really meant and definitely didn’t

November 10, 2012 12:20

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Nitish Castigates Laloo, Rabri for Ruining Bihar(news.outlookindia.com)

I took a Turing test and the test won

November 10, 2012 00:39

Example of how the Turing test was done. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

So if you or I took the Turing test, would we pass? Or fail?

Hold that thought. Ever since we fabricated our first computers, we’ve wondered, can they think? Can they be made to think? They are superb at number-crunching, at solving intricate problems, at repetitive tasks, even at keeping appointments in order. But that “smart” phone you’re reading this on—oh yes, it’s a computer—how smart is it? Can it think?

Which raises a more fundamental question: what’s meant by “thinking”? Computers can add up a row of figures in a fraction of a second, but is that thinking? Or ask this: if your friend adds up a row of figures swiftly, is she thinking? Her mind is working, but I suspect you’ll baulk at calling that “thinking”. Because there’s something almost trivial about such a task. Surely thinking implies knowledge, understanding, creativity, intelligence. Where are those when you’re adding up numbers?

And that gives you an idea of what researchers have focused on, in trying to make computers think as humans do, in the discipline known as artificial intelligence (AI).

How will AI researchers know when a computer is thinking? Well, let’s suppose we can get it to act like your pal Kanakadurga does when she’s thinking. In particular, suppose we ask a computer questions we’d ask Kanakadurga, and it gives us answers that are indistinguishable from Kanakadurga’s. Suppose it does so consistently. “Wow,” we’d say incredulously, “it’s thinking!”

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