Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
environment. Researchers have used robotics to try this
approach, but it is costly, especially since robotics technology
is still in its infancy.
Many AI researchers are turning to virtual worlds to pro-
vide their systems with an environment from which to expe-
rience life. Virtual worlds such as Second Life provide a virtual
landscape for people to explore through the use of avatars,
characters within the environment that the user controls.
Second Life allows users to build houses and businesses and
even sell products to other avatars. It strives to mirror the
physical, social, and economic sense of the real world.
Because Second Life is not bound by the laws of physics, users
perform actions that aren't possible in real life, such as flying.
Second Life presents the perfect environment for AI sys-
tems to experience the world and then learn from those
experiences. Novamente LLC is one AI company that has cre-
ated AI-driven avatars in a virtual world. These avatars appear
as animals that are eager to learn. For example, a Novamente
dog avatar can be taught to play soccer. Through the use of
praise and correction, the AI system will learn how to play the
game, including its rules and strategies. Novamente also has
a Parrot avatar that is learning language skills by talking with
people.
While in Second Life, you might run into Edd, an AI avatar
created by researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Edd can converse and reason, although he has the intelli-
gence of a four year old. Even that much intelligence takes an
immense amount of complex calculus to accomplish. Still,
Edd can communicate and influence a real user's actions.
Many AI avatars are moving to Second Life and other vir-
tual worlds. AI researchers find it to be an ideal environment
for training AI systems and allowing them to interact with real
people through virtual avatars. Michael Mateas, a computer
science professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz,
says, “It's a fantastic sweet spot—not too simple, not too
complicated, high cultural value.” But how will these AI sys-
tems service people and businesses?
Selmer Bringsjord, head of Rensselaer's Cognitive
Science Department and leader of the research project, sees
the research applying to practical needs in other virtual envi-
ronments such as entertainment and gaming, as well as
immersive training and education. “The apps, frankly, are
endless,” Bringsjord said. “Imagine being able to step into a
simulation environment in which you interact with synthetic
characters as sophisticated as those seen in Star Trek's
holodeck.”
Consider other uses of AI avatars in virtual worlds. AI
systems might be used to work on the behalf of businesses.
For example, a salesperson could create a thousand avatars
of himself and send the team out to sell products. Other AI
systems could be used to collect information and survey the
population for marketing or other uses. At the same time,
rules must be developed to govern the use of virtual reality in
business. For example, an avatar should identify itself as a
virtual being so that people do not assume it is human.
Discussion Questions
1.
Why are AI features and avatars proliferating in Second
Life and other virtual worlds?
2.
What types of research are being conducted using AI
avatars?
Critical Thinking Questions
1.
Why might AI avatars eventually make Second Life users
uncomfortable? What might be done to calm the fears?
2.
What types of business applications might be provided by
AI avatars in Second Life?
SOURCES:
Tay, Liz, “Child-like intelligence created in Second Life,” ITNews,
March 14, 2008,
www.itnews.com.au/News/72057,childlike-intelligence-
created-in-second- life.aspx;
Hill, Michael, “'Second Life' is frontier for AI
research,” MSNBC, May 18, 2008,
www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24668099;
Haven-
stein, Heather, “Virtual worlds making artificial intelligence apps 'smarter',”
Computerworld, September 13, 2007,
www.computerworld.com/action/
Questions for Web Case
See the Web site for this topic to read about the Whitmann
Price Consulting case for this chapter. The following are
questions concerning this Web case.
Whitmann Price Consulting: Knowledge Management
and Specialized Information Systems
Discussion Questions
1.
List three forms of AI that are being considered for the
AMCI system and how they will be used.
2.
List the advantages and disadvantages of implementing
the AI systems in the AMCI system.
Critical Thinking Questions
1.
What types of considerations might Josh and Sandra take
into account when deciding which AI system to include?
2.
How might Whitmann Price consultants react when they
learn about the Presence system that will track their
location? Why?
