[ExI] Oxford scientists edge toward quantum PC with 10b qubits.

[spike]

>... On Behalf Of Richard Loosemore
...
>For example, I would bet that if I ask Watson:

>"If I have a set of N balls in a bag, and I pull out the same number of
balls from the bag as there are letters in your name, how many balls would
be left in the bag?"  It would be completely unable to answer.  Richard
Loosemore


Well sure, but Richard, there is an appalling fraction of humanity which
would fail that test.

My question is more pragmatic.  Let us not worry for now about having
created intelligence, but rather the more practical and pragmatic question: 

How far are we from creating software that will serve as an adequate
companion for the partially impaired elderly person?  

Part of the reason the elderly decline mentally so quickly is that in many
if not most cases they suffer terribly from boredom and loneliness.  We busy
younger people do what we can, but most of their companionship is from
others in a similar situation.  Often they hold back from building strong
friendships because they know they may have to bury that friend soon.  I can
imagine about the third or fourth eulogy they deliver they give up, say to
hell with this, I will watch Jeopardy on TV,  Alex Trebec will likely
outlive me.

Having parents rapidly approaching old age focuses my own mind on this
problem.  We need machines which can tirelessly carry on stimulating
conversation.  With the Watson experiment, I feel we are getting
tantalizingly close to that now.

spike