The Surprising Path Of Artificial Intelligence

The last two chapters of The Universal Machine are about the role computers will play in our future. Obviously Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a large component of that and, not coincidentally, a research area I have been involved with since 1985. Consequently I have seen AI go from being the "next big thing," to becoming lost in the AI Winter and now see AI all around me and once again it being lauded as our savior. It's interesting then to see articles like this one by the legendary Silicon Valley investor Vinod Khosla in TechCrunch chart the history, failure and rebirth of AI (Part 1 of 3 is here).


[As an aside - do you know who wrote the screenplay for the excellent Spielberg/Kubrick movie A.I?  Answers on an email please and you could win a free copy of The Universal Machine]

Artists are inspired by Alan Turing

Laurie Frick – Daily Diary (April)

It's not just computer scientists who are getting into the spirit of the Alan Turing Year, artists are also being inspired by his work in biological morphogenesis, machine intelligence and cryptography. ART (Artists Redefine Turing) is a collaborative "experiment where each artist brings his or her unique capacity for pattern recognition to answer a simple question: How does your work comment on the Centenary of Alan Turing and potential futures of intelligence?" 

Alan Turing commemorative stamp

The UK Royal Mail is issuing a Turing commemorative stamp as part of the Alan Turing year commemorations.  Bletchley Park (which has its own Post Office) is issuing a special first day cover designed by Rebecca Peacock of Firecatcher Design for the "Turing Bombe" stamp (shown above). The design is based on Turing's work with patterns and their basis in mathematics. The stamp celebrates his genius in creating the "Bombe" machine to speed up the decryption of Enigma codes. The cancel is a facsimile of a Bombe rotor. Two other covers will also be issued using the work of artist Steve Williams as part of the Turing Centenary year celebrations. Funds raised will go the Bletchley Park Trust. This special first day cover can be ordered online here.

Thanks Mom

Mary and Bill Gates

I thought I knew the history of how Microsoft got the contract to make DOS for IBM. For some reason IBM and DEC were unable to agree terms for a contract for an operating system for IBM's new PC so IBM turned to Microsoft who bought QDOS from a Seattle company and rebranded it IBM DOS and licensed it to IBM. What didn't make sense though was why IBM would approach a tiny company, run by a college kid, making BASIC for a kit computer. Hardly the sort of company IBM usually did business with. Then over the holidays I read that Bill Gates' mother Mary was on the board of a company called United Way with John Opel the CEO of IBM. Opel allegedly told Mary IBM were looking for an operating system and she put her son Bill forward - "Thanks Mom"

Why it's kicking off everywhere

"a network can usually defeat a hierarchy" - Paul Mason

Writing in the Guardian and extracted from his book, Why It's Kicking Off Everywhere: The New Global Revolutions, this is a very interesting article on the nature of revolution and the power of social media, which elaborates on topics I touch on in chapter 11 Web 2.0 of The Universal Machine.

ISBN 978-3-642-28101-3

Today I've learnt what The Universal Machine's ISBN number is (ISBN 978-3-642-28101-3) and the book now has pre-publication information on the publisher's website. The estimated publication date is May 5 and the book will retail for €24.95. Of course given the state of the Euro who knows what that will buy in May, but currently that's $32.29 (USD). This is all one more step on the road to publication.

Happy Alan Turing Year

The Alan Turing Year starts today! You're using a computer to read this so it's time to honour the man who first discovered the concept of the Universal Machine (the computer) and acknowledge his genius.
    Events are planned to celebrate the centenary of his birth all over the world, so where ever you live you can participate. If there isn't an event locally why not organise one yourself.
For information about all the global events go to The Alan Turing Year: http://www.turingcentenary.eu/