Week 7 - Automata

Many businesses have the opportunity to introduce some elements of digital automation. As the podcast on the Digital Enterprise points out, customer service is easy to conceptualise and to introduce at a simple level. A businesses Q&A page is a type of basic automata. 

1) Check this link to my ‘intelligent’ cybertwin which I also mentioned in the Powerpoint. You may like to create your own cybertwin as well. The more you 'train' your twin, the better the responses will be. While it is just a fun exercise, Think of the opportunities. Imagine if we had a cybertwin that could answer your questions about the course. Or perhaps a shopping assistant?

The dream of scientists and business leaders alike is a machine that can think. Sounds like science fiction but it is closer than you may think. Alan Turing first wrote about the possibilities in the 1940's.

2) Write a one paragraph describing the Turing test and another paragraph describing an argument against the Turing Test, known as the about the Chinese room. 

The video (linked in the Powerpoint) 'Creativity: The Mind, Machines, and Mathematics: Public Debate' is a debate which asks the question 'will machines one day achieve consciousness'. Following on from this debate consider the following question -

The Turing test is a test designed by Alan Turing in the 1940's to assess a computers ability to think like a human. To gauge these results a human judge speaks to both a person and a computer program through typing on a computer. If the human judge is unable to accurately judge which is the computer and which is the test then the computer is said to have passed.

I believe that the test is affective, however I believe that the idea of a machine to be able to think consciously is flawed, as I machine can not recognise the context of a conversation or accurately judge sarcasm, anger or happiness and all people speak differently, so I would be easy to trick the machine.

3) Can virtual agents succeed in delivering high-quality customer service over the Web? Think of examples which support or disprove the question or just offer an opinion based on your personal experience. Write you answer on your blog page or express an opinion on this voice discussion board (it's simple to join). If you choose this option please link (live in an hour or so) to it from your blog page.

I do not believe that virtual agents can succeed in delivering high-quality customer service over the Web, as every human is different and requires customer service for an infinite about of reason. A virtual agent may not be able to interpret this variety of reasons that service may be required for.