Google vs. reference librarians
Craig Silverstein, Google’s director of technology and the first employee hired at Google said: “My guess is about 300 years until
computers are as good as, say, your local reference library in doing search,” says Craig Silverstein. “But we can make slow and steady progress, and maybe one day we’ll get there.”
Full Text Link:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/03/25/sunday/main608672.shtml
In other interviews when he was asked to further explain his quote, the following exchange was made:
When do you think that kind of artificially intelligent search will happen?
CS: I think that understanding language is kind of the last frontier in artificial intelligence, and then talking to a computer will be just like talking to a reference librarian, because they will both be equally knowledgeable about the world and about you. The big difference and this is where the search pets come in, is that the reference librarian will understand emotions and other non-factual information that even a fully intelligent computer may have trouble with. In terms of timing, I typically say about 200 to 300 years. I think it is probably closer to the 300th year end of it. But if it ends up being closer to the 200th year, I would not be around in any case, and I will not be able to have anyone gainsay me.
http://www.slis.indiana.edu/news/story.php?story_id=641
