The Turing test can be thought of as having strong and weak versions. The strong Turing test establishes a ceiling past which, philosophically speaking, a candi

The Turing test can be thought of as having strong and weak versions. The strong Turing test establishes a ceiling past which, philosophically speaking, a candidate is indistinguishable from a person. To pass the strong Turing test, you need a candidate who can get convince the most knowledgeable scientist of their humanity, as well as tell the most discerning 5-year-old a compelling bedtime story. The strong Turing test is hard to beat but just about every conscious human being can do it. The weak Turing test establishes a floor below which we're pretty sure the intelligence on the other side is not a person. CAPTCHA did this nicely for a long time. False negatives aren't uncommon (ever been distracted or tired enough to miss clicking on a stoplight or fire hydrant?) Weak Turing tests are useful for practical reasons. Any quick and dirty "test" is going to be a weak Turing test. The strong Turing test remains unconquered for now. It remains useful, because its use is primarily philosophical. Once it's been solidly beaten, Pandora's box will be fully open on artificial people.