Artificial Intelligence in Transition

of issues that deserve close consideration. No panaceas are In the past fifteen years artificial intelligence has changed from being the preoccupation of a handful of scientists to a thriving enterprise that has captured the imagination of world leaders and ordinary citizens alike. While corporate and government officials organize new projects offered-each individual and each institution will ultimately resolve these issues in their own way-but perhaps enough controversial views will be put forth to stimulate a healthy discussion. whose potential impact is widespread, to date few people have been . . . . . more aft&ted by the transition than those already in the field. I review In understanding a review of these issues, I have been here some aspects of this transi” ’ tion, ana pose some issues that it raises struck by their number and the consequent need for selection. for AI researchers. develoners. i =. , and leaders. The selection made is an attempt to reflect the diversity of questions and choices facing the field as a whole. The reader THE FIELD OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE is in the midst of a deep and irreversible structural change. The older research institutions that were almost alone on the AI landscape (at least in North America) in the late 60’s and early 70’s have been joined by a host of newer ones; new products based on the fruits of AI research have begun to appear; and the public at large is beginning to believe that “intelligence” can be put in machines. These changes raise many issues for the AI leadership, and indeed for all who have an interest in the field. New choices must now be made regarding research, development, educational, and business goals. New problems have arisen in communicating both the promise and the present limitations of AI to a wider audience. New institutional problems and opportunities have arisen. In this article, I will first describe some of the dimensions of the AI transition, and then use these to suggest a number will have little trouble identifying topics that are of no direct concern, and can pass rapidly to subsequent sections that may be of greater interest. Dimensions of the AI Transition We can get a nice feel for the nature of the AI transition by considering in turn the projects, the institutions, and the people that have comprised the field over the past fifteen years. Projects. First, then, let us recall some typical projects of three different eras: the late sixties, the mid-seventies, and