The Turing Option

Memories were getting in the way. Benicoff should have told him that the Captain was female. Not that this was bad. Or was it? Memories of Kim were too recent. But recent only to parts of him now. To the adult Brian those unfortunate events were long gone, part of his past, best forgotten. He realized that the silence had lengthened and that they were both looking at him.

“I’m sorry. My mind was wandering — it does that a bit. I think I will have a beer, Ben, join you.”

While Ben was ordering, Brian tried to get his thoughts and emotions straightened out. The Captain was not Kim — who by this time was probably fat and old and married and five kids. Forget her. He smiled at the idea and took a deep breath. Start over, forget the past. He turned to Shelly.

“I’m not sure where to begin — except to tell you that I could use some help on a research project that I will be launching soon. Could you tell me what you are doing now, about your work?”

“I can’t tell you about it in detail because everything that I do is classified. But the overall program is public knowledge and easy enough to explain. It was originated because modem military planes are entirely too fast for the pilot’s reflexes, the instrumentation too complex as well. If a pilot had to personally monitor all of the electronic systems, there would really be no time left to fly the plane. In order to assist the pilot, Expert Systems are always being developed and improved that assume as many as possible of his responsibilities. It is very interesting work.” Her voice was low-pitched and ever so slightly hoarse and she spoke with self-assurance, sitting straight-backed on the front edge of the chair, her hands clasped in her lap. Brian was the one who felt a little unsure; she certainly wasn’t. Not exactly what he had imagined he would get as an assistant.

“Have you ever worked with artificial intelligence?” he asked.

“Not really. Unless you consider that Expert System development is a part of AI. But I keep up with the developments since some of it is applicable to my own work.”

“That’s all for the good. I would rather have you learn than unlearn. Have you been told what the work is to be?”

“No. Only that it is important and relates to AI. Mr. Benicoff also explained to me about the violent industrial espionage that has been involved. His main concern was that I should know what I was getting involved with physically. He let me read a copy of his report on the unsolved crime. He also said there had been other attacks on your life since that time. If I work on the project I might be at risk myself. He wanted to be sure I knew all about this before I was even offered the job.”

“I’m glad he did that. Because there is a real chance that there might be physical danger.”

For the first time there was a change in her stern expression as she smiled. “An Air Force officer is assumed to be ready for combat at any time. When I was born Israel was still an armed camp. My father and mother, like everyone else, fought in the Army. When I was six years old my family emigrated to America so I was lucky to grow up in a country at peace. But I still like to think that some of their strength and ability to survive was passed on to me.”

“I’m sure it was,” Brian said, almost smiling in return. He was beginning to like Shelly, liked her air of self-assurance. But he was not sure that he really wanted to work with a woman — no matter how qualified she was. Memories of Kim still got in the way. But if Shelly was good enough to do Expert System work for the Air Force she might be qualified enough to help him. And the fact that she had never done AI research was an asset. Some scientists developed tunnel vision after a while and believed that their approach to the problem was the only one — even after they were proven wrong. He would just have to try to forget her sex; he turned to Ben with a question.

“Is there any reason I can’t give Shelly some information about what I’m doing? She deserves to know what she will be involved in before she makes her mind up.”

“The Captain has an absolutely top security clearance,” Ben said. “I’ll take the responsibility. You can tell her whatever you think she needs to know.”

“Okay then. Shelly, I am in the process of developing an artificial intelligence. Not the sort of program that we call AI now. I mean a really complete, efficient, freestanding and articulate artificial intelligence that really works.”

“But how can you make an intelligent machine until you know precisely what intelligence is?”

“By making one that can pass the Turing Test. I’m sure that you know how it works. You put a human being at one terminal, talking to a human being on another terminal, and there are numberless questions that can be asked — and answered — to convince the human at one end that there is another human at the other terminal. And as you know the history of AI is filled with programs that failed this test.”