Man-Computer Symbiosis 50 years ago and now

Posted by ljmacphee on February 15, 2008 under artificial intelligence in the news |

The original Man-Computer Symbiosis paper was written in 1960 by JCR Licklider. I ran across Human-Machine Symbiosis, 50 Years On while scouting for interesting reads on Arxiv.

Man-computer symbiosis is an expected development in cooperative interaction between men and electronic computers. It will involve very close coupling between the human and the electronic members of the partnership. The main aims are 1) to let computers facilitate formulative thinking as they now facilitate the solution of formulated problems, and 2) to enable men and computers to cooperate in making decisions and controlling complex situations without inflexible dependence on predetermined programs. In the anticipated symbiotic partnership, men will set the goals, formulate the hypotheses, determine the criteria, and perform the evaluations. Computing machines will do the routinizable work that must be done to prepare the way for insights and decisions in technical and scientific thinking. Preliminary analyses indicate that the symbiotic partnership will perform intellectual operations much more effectively than man alone can perform them. Prerequisites for the achievement of the effective, cooperative association include developments in computer time sharing, in memory components, in memory organization, in programming languages, and in input and output equipment. ( from Man-Computer Symbiosis)

The newer paper has four recommendations for continuing this process. He recommends improving basic resources, supporting software, infrastructure and training.

I think we’ve come a very long way already. For the average person the invention of cell phones, gps and the internet have made huge changes. When was the last time you were stuck home waiting for a phone call? Not only do you have your phone with you all the time but it records every incoming call as well.

And when was the last time you got lost? No more can you show up late and blame it on getting lost.

Goods and services abound. What your local merchant doesn’t carry the internet does. Everything your heart desires if your finances permits.

But most importantly we have information. Now you know if your doctor is telling you all your options. You know if you are getting paid what you should. You can find all the information and classes you need to become an expert in any area of your choosing. Your only limit is the time you have to devote to your studies.

For researchers huge progress has also been made but more remains to be made. Much information still has commercial value and is therefore unaccessible to the public and to researchers. More progress will be made as information frees up and standard interfaces for accessing the information are created as Foster recommends in his paper.

It may be that information is not the gold of the new economy. Taking away the commercial value of the information may be what creates and drives the new economy.