Robots Are People Too

“Strong AI” and “Weak AI”

Mention artificial intelligence (AI), and people imagine machines that think as well as humans or better. The term conjures up science-fiction images, like the computer named HAL from the movie 2001 A Space Odyssey or “the droids from Star Wars.” Those machines fall into the category of strong AI, which doesn’t yet exist outside fiction.

However, weak AI already matches, re-creates, augments or surpasses specific aspects of human intelligence in limited situations. You encounter weak AI any time you use Google or a geo-positioning system (GPS). Weak AI’s increasing availability in products will force changes in the US legal system.

When you enter a search request on Google, you know you’re not interacting with another person. By contrast, you communicate with Siri, iPhone’s built-in electronic assistant, by speaking and asking questions. Siri is a useful “prologue to the coming AI revolution.” It gives you spoken answers and acts on any request within its technological reach. Because this process resembles human interaction, you’re more likely to treat Siri – and future AI manifestations – like people and ...