XPost: alt.folklore.computers   
   From: bowman@montana.com   
      
   On Thu, 01 Jan 2026 19:12:29 +0000, Richard Kettlewell wrote:   
      
   > Lawrence D’Oliveiro  writes:   
   >> Waldek Hebisch wrote:   
   >>> But are 'expert systems' really AI?   
   >>   
   >> What is really “AI”? At one point, the argument was over whether   
   >> computers could “think”. Then you had to define “thinking”, and   
   >> somebody tried to settle the question by saing: “thinking is what   
   >> computers cannot do”.   
   >>   
   >> The only succinct definition of “AI” I ever saw was: “solving NP   
   >> problems in polynomial time”.   
   >   
   > It was always rather flexible. Currently it’s a label you put on things   
   > to attract venture capital or other forms of finance.   
      
   Best definition yet.  It's already started with the 'smart' phone but I'm   
   waiting for the marketers of consumer goods to tack AI onto frying pans   
   and everything else.   
      
   It wasn't very smart but it was sad to see Roomba go under. If nothing   
   else it was good for terrorizing cats.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)