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Seed AI is possible, but it requires first building an AI which is at least as intelligent as human AI researchers. We are nowhere near that point, and once we

Seed AI is possible, but it requires first building an AI which is at least as intelligent as human AI researchers. We are nowhere near that point, and once we get there we will already have strong AI.

computerphage 10y ago
> at least as intelligent as human AI researchers I don't think that's true. I see no reason why the seed AI must be as generally intelligent as a human in most respects. It may not need to have an understanding of it's physical surroundings, for example, which could mean avoiding building any computer vision components into the system. Further, it may be able to operate in a much more mathematical environment. It may be somewhat similar to a theorem prover that operates on computer programs.
- Houshalter 10y ago
  Well it may be less intelligent in specific domains like vision. But so what, no one claims that blind humans are less intelligent. It would still need to have the same general intelligence as humans possess.
  - V-2 10y ago
    That's a fallacious comparison. Blind people still have all the "hardware" for visual processing. It does add to their brainpower. They just use the same "circuits" for different purposes - case in point, only recently I think I saw this article on HN, http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/19/494593600/when-blind-people-do-algebra-the-brain-s-visual-areas-light-up http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/19/49459360...
    - Houshalter 10y ago
      I don't deny that or see how it's relevant.
  - computerphage 10y ago
    You're missing the point. Blind people still devote a lot of computation to sensing their local environment or mapping the places they live in. The narrow AI could literally only operate in the domain of computer programs, optimizations, and mathematical theorems. It could sidestep much of the work that goes into dealing with the messy world and all the details that come with it.
V-2 10y ago
It only has to be stronger than us in the field of building AIs (which isn't an area evolution shaped us to excel in). Same as chess engines beat us as chess while being dumb as doorknobs. Obviously chess heuristics is much simpler than building a high-level AI. But it's a matter of orders of magnitude - at the end of the day, it's still some sort of a narrow, technical task.
- Houshalter 10y ago
  Chess doesn't require general intelligence. AI research absolutely does.

computerphage 10y ago

> at least as intelligent as human AI researchers I don't think that's true. I see no reason why the seed AI must be as generally intelligent as a human in most respects. It may not need to have an understanding of it's physical surroundings, for example, which could mean avoiding building any computer vision components into the system. Further, it may be able to operate in a much more mathematical environment. It may be somewhat similar to a theorem prover that operates on computer programs.

Houshalter 10y ago
Well it may be less intelligent in specific domains like vision. But so what, no one claims that blind humans are less intelligent. It would still need to have the same general intelligence as humans possess.
- V-2 10y ago
  That's a fallacious comparison. Blind people still have all the "hardware" for visual processing. It does add to their brainpower. They just use the same "circuits" for different purposes - case in point, only recently I think I saw this article on HN, http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/19/494593600/when-blind-people-do-algebra-the-brain-s-visual-areas-light-up http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2016/09/19/49459360...
  - Houshalter 10y ago
    I don't deny that or see how it's relevant.
- computerphage 10y ago
  You're missing the point. Blind people still devote a lot of computation to sensing their local environment or mapping the places they live in. The narrow AI could literally only operate in the domain of computer programs, optimizations, and mathematical theorems. It could sidestep much of the work that goes into dealing with the messy world and all the details that come with it.

V-2 10y ago

It only has to be stronger than us in the field of building AIs (which isn't an area evolution shaped us to excel in). Same as chess engines beat us as chess while being dumb as doorknobs. Obviously chess heuristics is much simpler than building a high-level AI. But it's a matter of orders of magnitude - at the end of the day, it's still some sort of a narrow, technical task.

Houshalter 10y ago
Chess doesn't require general intelligence. AI research absolutely does.