Talking machines promise to revolutionize our lives in future

By Dick Pelletier

     Imagine a machine that can not only understand what you say, but can act on it; one that actually learns through experience, and knows you well enough to anticipate your needs.

     Now further imagine that this voice-interactive machine will appear as an avatar – an on-screen image resembling your favorite movie character or loved one. On command, it will materialize on any TV screen and computer monitor in your home, or on display screens in your car radio and cell phone, addressing you by name and asking, "How can I help you."

     Poised at the cutting edge of this fast growing industry, Fair Isaac’s Robert Hecht-Nielsen believes his company will soon market a machine called Chancellor that could bring the vision of true conversational machines closer to reality.

     "We see Chancellor as a small, cylindrical device, several of which can be placed around the home,” says Hecht-Nielsen. It is wireless and gets its power from the Internet. In addition to handling daily family tasks, such as answering phones, making appointments, and maintaining schedules, this futuristic device also becomes a portal to the world of automated commerce."

     Unlike most artificial intelligence systems, the Fair Isaac machine does not use algorithms or software, or adhere to standard grammar rules. Instead, it utilizes computer simulations of brain tissues which enable it to process information and acquire knowledge similar to the way that we do; and it communicates using perfect human speech.

     Conversational machines must understand normal speech. Chancellor understands most words, but when a sentence is unclear, it searches for the correct words that the speaker might have intended. Using a process called "swirling," it examines millions of words and combination of words stored in its memory and quickly picks the most probable words. If it makes a mistake, it offers an apology, "Sorry, I must have misunderstood you."

     Microsoft’s Bill Gates believes that voice-enabled systems like these will allow us to converse naturally and comfortably direct with monitors, reducing the need for mouse and keyboard. In addition, these futuristic machines will browse the Internet searching for information and products that interest us, and unravel the maze of TV channels, organizing our favorite programs and suggesting new ones.

     By 2010, processor speed will give interactive voice systems the mind of a 6 year-old child, showing unmistakable signs of creativity. By 2015, millions of systems will form a huge connected network; learning from each other, acting more human-like, and shielding us from fraud and harm.

     By 2020, holographic and nano-sensory breakthroughs will allow avatars to jump off the screen and become a real-life touchable digital image appearing on command, anywhere, anytime. By 2025, many will opt to transfer their avatar into a robot brain creating an even more powerful "assistant."

     Today, we create avatars/robots to serve us. Tomorrow, though they are unlikely to rise and take over the world as science fiction suggests, society will need to determine what rights and responsibilities these creatures should have. Will it be OK to "turn robots off" without their approval? And how will these machines fit into our "magical future?" Although these are tough questions, positive futurists believe that the answers will come.

This article appeared in various print publications and on-line blogs. Comments always welcome.