@cryptogee,

It's a fascinating story and a truly amazing breakthrough.

As we've discussed before though, there is an infinite difference between sensing and "thinking." As you mentioned in your article, walking is so difficult for robots because it involves coordinating a multitude of actions that we do not understand ... that is, we don't know how we do it.

And, keep in mind that even in the case of this breakthrough, it is the woman's brain processing what the sensory input "means" ... not a computer. This breakthrough is really about having created "an electronic interface with the human nervous system" ... which is by itself bloody incredible.

But "thinking" is many orders of magnitude in difficulty beyond walking. "Computers" may appear to be thinking, but they're not, at least not as that termed is defined for humans. Indeed, they're not even close.

A computer playing a game of chess applies an inordinately complex series of IF/THEN statements. And while it may appear to be "playing chess," this requires torturing the meaning of the word, "playing."

It has no awareness of "playing chess," nor any understanding why anyone would "want" to play chess, or for that matter, why anyone would want to "play." Or what "want" is. It derives no "pleasure" from winning a game of chess, nor feels any despair at losing it.

Thinking requires consciousness and we haven't the faintest idea how the human brain achieves such phenomenon. What does seem very likely, however, is that consciousness in an "emergent property." That is, something ineffable, a qualia, that is a consequence of the physiological actions of our neurons ... like "wetness" is to water.

Of course, all this may be besides the point. If artificial intelligence becomes a "good enough facsimile of thinking," then it may become a difference without a distinction, and the nuance relegated to debates between philosophers.

And this is what's got me worried. As you and I have discussed before, "thinking" is the last bastion of humanity, the last thing that makes us unique ... and indispensable. Robots are stronger and faster and don't need sleep or to take vacations. What happens if we make that last thing, thinking, functionally obsolete?

My friend, Google Pandora's Box. The best thing about it ... was it's lid.

Quill