What do you think you're doing, Dave--err, Whymog?

(Image from Wikipedia; usage constitutes Fair Use)

Let's face it: Most of us are terrified that a robot revolution is nigh, and cruel artificial intelligences (AIs) will decimate the human population within the decade. Our only hope is to retreat to a life without telecommunications, huddled in cramped fallout shelters in the hills of Montana, rifles at the ready.

. . . Oh, that's just me? Oh. Okay.

One of the most exciting developments in modern computing is the creation and refinement of so-called AIs. Popularized by the (very lengthy) 2001 Steven Spielberg film, artificial intelligences have the potential to give the impression of human-like reasoning to computers through very complex programming. My introduction to AI came from watching videogames develop over time from the most simple of games (every enemy marches relentlessly to the left in Super Mario Bros.) to the more complex (if you don't take your girlfriend in Grand Theft Auto IV out to her favorite restaurant or to the comedy club every couple weeks, she stops returning your phone calls - life's harsh like that).

Anyway, it looks like some researchers are building an AI to interact with Second Life's residents.

Developed by people at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute who are probably way smarter than you or me, the AI inhabits an avatar named Edd Hifeng. Edd only understands English at this point, and can respond to simple questions, but the potential for AI research in Second Life is great. It's a controlled, artificial environment, but almost all of the avatars Edd is likely to encounter are other people (unless my worst fears come to light and the Internet is overrun by malicious sentient computers). According to John Lester from Linden Lab's Boston location, "the real future for this is when people take these AI-controlled avatars and let them free in Second Life."

It's an interesting concept, and as Moore's Law continues to hold true and the number of transistors on computer processors rapidly increase, there could come a day where an artificial intelligence becomes so responsive and develops such a vibrant personality that a Second Life user couldn't tell it apart from an actual person.