As AI continues to make great advancements in sophistication, the development of common sense remains a significant hurdle. Despite the impressive accuracy of systems like ChatGPT in identifying information, they can still produce nonsensical answers, such as incorrectly stating that the user has passed away. Common sense, or the lack thereof, is considered a crucial component in assessing the success of AI in replicating human thought and intelligence. Until AI can overcome this glass ceiling of common sense, complete trust in AI controls may be challenging.
The field of AI has struggled with the common sense problem throughout its development, as seen in examples like Apple’s Siri’s lack of improvement over the years. Even highly advanced systems like IBM’s Watson, which excelled at playing Jeopardy in 2011, have shown instances of producing ridiculous answers to seemingly straightforward questions. The need for self-checking in AI’s output to ensure consistency remains a significant challenge for researchers and theorists alike. Current methods in AI development may not be sufficient to solve this issue, leading to a call for a new approach to advance in this area.
The difficulty of the common sense problem may be more complex than anticipated, as evidenced by the connection between the human brain and body in the evolution of thinking and reasoning. The next generation of AI computers may need to be integrated into a total human-like structure to afford all five senses for learning. The famous Turing Test, designed to differentiate between machines and humans through conversation, has become somewhat obsolete in the face of AI’s ability to mimic human responses. However, questions that require common sense experience remain a challenge for machines, highlighting the ongoing need for development in this area.
As AI continues to progress, users are advised to exercise caution when relying on intelligent machines for tasks like updating bios or making important decisions. The potential for silly mistakes due to the lack of common sense in AI outputs must be considered, emphasizing the importance of human oversight in AI-assisted tasks. Despite the impressive capabilities of AI in various applications, the common sense problem remains a significant obstacle that must be addressed for increased user confidence in AI controls. Ultimately, until AI can effectively navigate common sense challenges, complete trust in its decision-making abilities may be limited.
