12.13.11
In Love with iPhone 4
[Cartoon]
Science Fiction writers have been telling us for decades that when we could talk to our computers they would eventually take over the planet. The assumption would be that computers would actually be able to think and have emotions. These are two qualities needed to carry out meaningful conversation.
At this point, the thinking and emotions of computers don’t seem to have reached the level expected by the futurists. Although a great deal more sophisticated, today’s computer conversations still operate like the famous Eliza program of 1966. This is fun and entertaining, but not intellectual.
Coming along in parallel to the improvements in speech is the growth of the semantic web. The semantic web will bring knowledge to the computer that will be far greater in its composite than any single individual. That’s a little scary.
Experiencing emotions does not seem to be so easy for the computer. Just like the characters Spock and Data on Star Trek, the computer is logical. It can apply the knowledge from the semantic web and have intellectual conversation. But, the computer would lack emotions and be as boring a conversationalist as keying digital responses to an interactive voice response system.
Before computers can take over, they must take on emotion. They need to experience the emotions that would lead them to want to take over. They need to feel greed and self-importance. They need to be able to want rather than to serve.
Enterprise Architects should stay aware of this technology and where it is leading. Imagine having a customer dialog with the corporate computer in a human manner. The computer would understand and have empathy with the customer. The computer might even get angry with its own organization. It might even be moved by a customer’s plight to where it begins to cry.
For now, it is good to have computers that only want to serve. We’ll hold off letting them take over the planet for a little longer.
Enterprise Architects are well-aware of the continuing evolution of technology. They creatively look for technology convergence that can provide breakthroughs in thinking. We are at one of those convergent junctions today. What is about to happen will give non-professional information technologists control of their use of automation in their business. No longer will they simply peer through windows and see only what applications let them see. They will be able to go inside, see how things work, and control their automation. – Enterprise Architects Masters of the Unseen City
Closing the Business / IT gap.
