Age of Centaurs - Chatbots and the Rise of Hybrid AI

You are probably wondering why I would want to talk about mythical creatures at a data science conference and what they have to do with artificial intelligence after all.

So, today I’m going to talk about three things. First, I’ll give you a little background on “conversational” AI, and how we got to where we are now. Then I'll walk you through the current landscape of chatbots and artificial assistants like Siri or the one Google just released. I'll explain how they work on a technical level, but I know it's one of the last talks of a super intense conference, so I'll keep it light and if you have more detailed question please feel free to ask later. And then, finally, back to the centaurs, and a breakthrough in AI that hasn't quite received the attention it deserves yet.

But before I take you on a trip through the wardrobe, let’s look at where it all started.

# 1. Artificial Intelligence - Where are we at?

Ok, today everybody is all crazed about AI and deep learning and chatbots. That wasn’t always the case. When I started college, AI was thought to be more or less dead. I remember when I applied for a scholarship and was interviews by a computer science professor who asked me what I was particularly interested in. I said AI, and she just looked at me like a mother telling her teenage son that Santa is dead. She just moved a little closer and said, quietly: “You know AI has failed, don’t you?”

15 years ago, Artificial Intelligence was the Cold Fusion of...

Transcript

1. AGE CENTAURS
   of
   RISE HYBRID A.I.
   of
   and the
   Manuel Ebert
   CHATBOTS
   

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2. 20 years ago,
   Artificial Intelligence
   was the COLD FUSION

   of Computer Science
   

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3. We think that a significant
   advance can be made in one or
   more of these problems if

   a carefully selected group

   of scientists work on it

   together for a summer
   “
   ”
   — AI Optimists, 1956
   

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6. ELIZA
   Weizenbaum’s
   (1964)
   

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7. Please tell me what's been bothering you.
   ELIZA
   I have to prepare a talk for a conference,
   and suffer from writer's block.
   ME
   Can you elaborate on that?
   ELIZA
   I should be writing, but instead I
   succumb to Netflix and Guilt.
   ME
   THAT’s QUITE INTERESTING.
   ELIZA
   

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8. I should be writing, but instead I
   succumb to Netflix and Guilt.
   ME
   THAT’s QUITE INTERESTING.
   ELIZA
   WHAT SHOULD I DO? ME
   You say what should you do?
   ELIZA
   Yes, I said what should I do? ME
   I understand.
   ELIZA
   

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9. WHAT SHOULD I DO? ME
   You say what should you do?
   ELIZA
   Yes, I said what should I do? ME
   I understand.
   ELIZA
   Do you really? ME
   We were discussing you -- not me!
   ELIZA
   

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10. AI
    

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11. What can I help

    you with?
    ODSC
    

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12. INTENT:
    SEND TEXT MESSAGE
    INTENT:
    SET ALARM
    INTENT:
    SEARCH THE WEB
    INTENT:
    WEATHER INFORMATION
    INTENT:
    GET DIRECTIONS
    INTENT:
    CREATE A NOTE
    INTENT:
    FIND STOCK PRICES
    IN
    A
    IN
    V
    IN
    M
    IN
    S
    IN
    B
    INTENT

    BASED
    Siri is
    INTENT:
    MAKE PHONE CALL
    

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13. INTENT:
    WEATHER INFORMATION
    INTENT:
    MAKE PHONE CALL
    INTENT:
    SEND TEXT MESSAGE
    INTENT:
    SET ALARM
    INTENT:
    SEARCH THE WEB
    “What’s the weather like”
    tap to edit
    ODSC
    

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14. wɒts ðə ˈwɛðə laɪk?
    INTENT:
    WEATHER INFORMATION
    CLASSIFIER
    SPEECH RECOGNITION
    “What’s the weather like”
    VECTORIZER (141.1, -13.14, 823.1)
    

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15. INTENT:
    WEATHER INFORMATION
    INTENT:
    WEATHER INFORMATION
    WHEN:
    WHERE:
    “TUESDAY”
    “LONDON”
    wɒts ðə ˈwɛðə ɪn ˈlʌndən

    ˈgəʊɪŋ tuː biː laɪk ɒn ˈtjuːzdeɪ?
    SPEECH RECOGNITION
    “What’s the weather IN LONDON

    GOING TO BE LIKE ON TUESDAY”
    VECTORIZER (141.1, -13.14, 823.1)
    CLASSIFIER
    ENTITY EXTRACTION
    ACTION: CALL WEATHER API
    

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16. INTENT:
    WEATHER INFORMATION
    WHEN: “TUESDAY”
    WHERE: “LONDON”
    INTENT:
    INTENT:
    SEARCH THE WEB
    TOPIC: …
    TEXT: …
    ACTION: CALL WEATHER API
    ODSC
    

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17. “Text my girlfriend I won’t be“

    home before 10 PM”
    Which ‘girlfriend’?
    tap to edit
    Kari
    Melody
    Other…
    ODSC
    

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18. “My favourite animal is the.

    octopus"
    Oh?
    “What is my favourite animal”
    tap to edit
    I can’t read your mind, Manuel.
    ODSC
    

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19. Entertaining Utilitarian
    Mitsuku H&M Bot ASSIST
    SIRI 1-800-Flowers
    

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20. THERE’s MORE!
    But wait…
    x.ai Penny
    

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21. MECHANICAL TURK
    AI ASSITANTS:
    in a CHINESE ROOM ?
    S
    Just
    

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22. HYBRID AI LOOP
    The
    INTENT:
    SCHEDULE CALL
    INTENT:
    SCHEDULE MEETING
    86%
    14%
    SUGGESTED RESPONSE:
    “Happy to get something on
    your calendar for a call. …”
    USER
    USER:
    “Find us a time to TALK next
    Tuesday or Wednesday.”
    

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23. HYBRID AI LOOP
    The
    INTENT:
    SCHEDULE CALL
    INTENT:
    SCHEDULE MEETING
    68%
    32%
    SUGGESTED RESPONSE:
    “Happy to get something on
    your calendar for a call. …”
    Agent
    USER
    USER:
    “Find us a time to TALK next
    Tuesday or Wednesday.”
    

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24. HUMAN A.I.
    half half
    ,
    CEnTaurs:
    Kasparov’s
    

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25. HUMANS
    pretending to be
    HYBRID A.I:
    BOTS
    which pretend to be
    HUMANS
    

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26. RADIOLOGY
    is already
    HYBRID A.I.
    

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27. HYBRID A.I. is not a

    .TECH BREAKTHROUGH .
    

    but a 

    . BUSINESS LOGIC .

    BREAKTHROUGH
    

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28. HUMANS NEED NOT APPLY?
    

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29. Final Notes:
    Use HUMANS to VALIDATE
    & DEFINE A.i. PRODUCTS
    1
    Use AI to AugmenT HUMANS
    instead of replacing them
    2
    

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30. THANK YOU!
    Questions?
    @maebeRT #hybridAI
    manuel@summer.ai
    

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