We are doomed: IBM's Watson debuts on Jeopardy today (14 Feb 2011)

[40hz]

As long as Watson's offspring don't become sentient and discover the nuclear launch codes, we should be fine.

-zridling (February 17, 2011, 08:36 PM)

I personally subscribe to the notion that what we call "consciousness" is something that emerges spontaneously and naturally out of suffuciently complex systems. I get the feeling that once our systems get enough memory, processing power, and clock speed, something very close to what we would consider "self-awareness" will emerge.

What it will mean for us as a species is anybody's guess once one of our engineering creations "awakens."

But whatever else it may mean, one thing will be certain - it will be a very different world we'll suddenly find ourselves living in.

[zridling]

But whatever else it may mean, one thing will be certain - it will be a very different world we'll suddenly find ourselves living in.

-40hz (February 18, 2011, 02:54 PM)

As long as by "different world" you mean "Holodeck," then I'm in. That's all I'm asking for. That, or the dream world made possible in the movie "Vanilla Sky." But I figure you can already get that with enough morphine and LSD.

[40hz]

^I was thinking more along the lines of what it will be like once we can no longer take it as a given we're the smartest species in the room. 

[cranioscopical]

we can no longer take it as a given we're the smartest species in the room.

-40hz (February 18, 2011, 07:31 PM)

Well, in that case I'm prepared; I've had that feeling for years 

[Deozaan]

I thought this was hilarious:

http://imgur.com/gallery/lZd0q

really large image

[worstje]

I'd find it funnier if I could make out what the console stuff said. I feel like I am missing the punchline.

[mwb1100]

I'd find it funnier if I could make out what the console stuff said. I feel like I am missing the punchline.

-worstje (February 24, 2011, 10:32 PM)

Imagine what happens when Watson evaluates whether the answer is good or not...

[Stoic Joker]

I'd find it funnier if I could make out what the console stuff said. I feel like I am missing the punchline.

-worstje (February 24, 2011, 10:32 PM)

Imagine what happens when Watson evaluates whether the answer is good or not...

-mwb1100 (February 25, 2011, 12:23 AM)

If by good, you mean valid, and he formatted himself in the middle of the show ... Yeah that would be hysterical.

[zridling]

Deozaan, what a brilliant graphic! I wish they had done that in the show.

[40hz]

Knowing what I do about some of IBM's research teams, they would have if they had thought of it.

That was absolutely priceless. Right up there with that Exploits of a Mom XKCD comic somebody posted recently.

[MilesAhead]

I wonder if Alex Trebek knows he's training his own replacement?

With Watson the answer board could be integrated into the Watson OSD.
He could be the answer board and the master of ceremonies.

Then to make it even more fun, the 2 contestants who do not come up with the correct question get tazed while Watson says "take that meat bags!" or something equally silly.

[zridling]

Watson is already a better medical doctor than I've ever been to in my life. Every doctor has always blown me off. At least Watson would give me three choices.

[Deozaan]

I wonder if Alex Trebek knows he's training his own replacement?

With Watson the answer board could be integrated into the Watson OSD.
He could be the answer board and the master of ceremonies.

Then to make it even more fun, the 2 contestants who do not come up with the correct question get tazed while Watson says "take that meat bags!" or something equally silly.

-MilesAhead (February 25, 2011, 04:58 PM)

I just saw that in an episode of Doctor Who.

[MilesAhead]

I just saw that in an episode of Doctor Who.

Hmm, I got the "meat bags" from the movie Surrogates.  Haven't watched Dr. Who in awhile.

[Deozaan]

I just saw that in an episode of Doctor Who.

Hmm, I got the "meat bags" from the movie Surrogates.  Haven't watched Dr. Who in awhile.

-MilesAhead (February 26, 2011, 04:03 PM)

Well, it wasn't exactly that. It was robots being the game show hosts in multiple games. If you lose, you die.

"You are the weakest link! Goodbye!" ZOT!

I did a Netflix marathon this past weekend. I think this episode was from the first season (of the "new" Dr. Who), so it's a few years old.

[MilesAhead]

I liked Eccleston when they restarted Who.  The guy after kept pissing me off by not dying.  The regeneration tease(tm) was really annoying.

Trouble with Who is they appeal to the soap opera watching female demographic by using homely companions.  It would be better with a bit of eye candy.

That's one reason I like Asian TV shows.  They may be formulaic but there's usually several hot babes in the regular cast. If the female lead isn't beautiful, only cute, then the evil chick ruining her life is.