[citation][nom]jprahman[/nom]Computers fundamentally have to be programmed, either at the software level, or hardware level. You are right that there are "learning" algorithms, but those are just that: algorithms, meaning that they are created by a programmer and followed by a machine. All the machines we have were created by people and programmed by people, yes there will be some ability to "learn" but the only learning that is happening is what is directed by a program, written by a human. Humans do not follow a preset program, they have creativity and the ability to think outside of the box and invent new machines, we are sentient and self-aware, machines are not. Machines do not create other machines, unless directed to do so by a program written by a human, machines do not write programs to control other machines, unless directed by a program written by a human. And those improved methods and algorithms you speak of, they must be made by humans, not machines. Until a machine can reason and invent new things on their own they will still be just that, machines, following human direction, on matter how "intelligent" they may be. I haven't heard of a machine making scientific discoveries or creating a new machine, not without following a human created program. Robotic technology will improve greatly, I agree with you on that point, but they will never approach self-awareness or the ability to invent. They will become more human like, being able to walk or predict future behavior based on past, the routines they follow will become more advanced, but they will always be just that, routines. They will never become self-aware, they will never gain consciousness, they will never become like us, they will remain machines.[/citation]
I see where you're coming from, but what are humans? The Human brain is much like a machine. Every decision we make is based on input/knowledge/past experience. Just like a machine it would receive input and make a decision based on the input and its current intellect. We do the exact same. Our brain consist of 100 billion neurons and they're all working hard to come up with the best responses.
The reason robotic creations or AI cannot think for themselves is because they are no where as complex as the human mind. The neural network we have is EXTREMELY complex, as oppose to a few computer chips. Yes, its based off programming but eventually the programming made will be just like a Human baby. A set of code is inserted into the brain and then its released into the world to learn and build. We insert a program into a machine and set it off into the world to learn and grow.
Our brain is a pile of atoms, put in a specific pattern. In time i'm sure we can make a machine with the same basics as the human brain when it comes to a pile of atoms in a specific pattern.