Abstract for AISB 2000

Symposium on How to Design a Functioning Mind
17-18th April 2000
At the AISB'00 Convention

PLENARY LECTURER at the AISB'00 Convention:

Marvin Minsky, MIT
http://www.ai.mit.edu/people/minsky/minsky.html
    He will also attend this symposium and
    will offer a poster presentation.



POSTER TITLE FOR SYMPOSIUM: Large-Scale Models of the Mind

TITLE FOR PLENARY TALK:
    Future Models for Mind-Machines
(Postscript available.)

ABSTRACT:

``Seek not to follow in the footsteps of men of old; seek what they sought.'' -- Matsuo Basho

In recent years some political leaders of several countries have expressed concern that in future years their countries will not have enough young people to support the large proportion of old ones. So, incredibly, they propose to take steps to increase their reproduction rates. Instead we embark on programs to develop intelligent robots that could increase productivity in the fields where shortages may appear. Then, each working human could easily support many more other ones -- with less damage to our environment. However, there has not been much progress in recent years toward making machines that are able to do most mundane jobs that people do. I think this is because most AI researchers have not used adequate large-scale models for designing systems that could have enough ``common sense'' or ``resourcefulness.''