Audio Transcript:
(SOUND EFFECT: synthesized machine voice) Getting To Know You.
I'm Bob Karson with the discovery files -- new advances in science and engineering from the National Science Foundation.
So are you ready for a new relationship in your life? How about the one with your computer? One of the current thrusts in computer science is "meaningful interaction" with the machine so it kind of takes constructive criticism from you, thinks it through, and then changes its ways based on what you've told it.
Oregon State researchers want your computer to get to know you better; your quirks, idiosyncrasies, wants, needs and desires. They're working in the areas of machine-learning and artificial intelligence to help computers of the future be more 'intuitive.'
Right now -- with even the most advanced learning systems -- we can tell our computers only what is right or wrong and program them to change kind of a 'because I said so' approach. These researchers are looking for ways to be able to tell the computer why so it can make adjustments the next time. Scientists call this "rich guidance."
But remember, we're human, we're fallible. In this type of interaction, at times the computer is likely to want to correct you if it thinks you're wrong. In one study, a fourth of the people who thought the computer was doing something wrong were mistaken, the computer was right.
At that point, if the bickering continues, you two may have to see a counselor.
"The Discovery Files" covers projects funded by the government's National Science Foundation. Federally sponsored research -- brought to you, by you! Learn more at nsf.gov or on our podcast.
