I have long been of the opinion that discussion of when we will create an artificial intelligence is pointless because we clearly already have. The question is when we will be able to understand the intelligences we've already created.
Well, that opinion changed dramatically this morning, thanks to this episode of To The Best of Our Knowledge, which aired this morning while I was driving to work on KANW 89.1 FM in Albuquerque. You should listen to it. Really. Stop reading, follow the link and click "listen now." You can thank me after you get back.
So here's the revelation I had while I was listening to them talk about "intelligence" in plants. (I put that in quotes because it doesn't really fit the classical definition of intelligence, but I think the definition is wrong and if you've listened to the show you may agree with me). (And if you haven't listened to it yet, seriously, what are you doing down here? GO. Listen.) There's absolutely nothing artificial about what we've been calling artificial intelligence. Intelligence is so ubiquitous in nature, so central to the very existence of the world we live in, that for us to claim any ownership of intelligence is pure hubris in the way only humans seem to be guilty of it. Intelligence of some form, the ability to take in data and interact with outside stimuli, exists in any living thing. All we do is put together some things, mostly silicon, and add electricity. Intelligence is sure to follow. Do we control that intelligence? Sure, to some extent we do, in the same way we cultivate crops and train animals. Did we make it? Not in my book. It was there.
I was driving while I listened to this show, and couldn't help but notice the sheer volume of plant life I was driving past on my way to work. If you accept the notion of intelligence in those plants, and I most certainly do (and if you don't, maybe you haven't listened yet--why not? Do it now!), then I drove past more intelligence on my way to work than I'm likely to encounter while I'm at work. You probably have more intelligence within 100' of you right now than you can read in this blog post. So get out there and feel it. It's really awesome when you let it in.
