The machine writes

But can it think? Well, maybe. As if auto-correct weren't bad enough, soon we'll have auto-thought:

From Apple's website announcing Aple iOS 8:

iOS 8 predicts what you’ll likely say next. 
No matter whom you’re saying it to.
Now you can write entire sentences with a few taps. Because as you type, you’ll see choices of words or phrases you’d probably type next, based on your past conversations and writing style. iOS 8 takes into account the casual style you might use in Messages and the more formal language you probably use in Mail. It also adjusts based on the person you’re communicating with, because your choice of words is likely more laid back with your spouse than with your boss. Your conversation data is kept only on your device, so it’s always private.

And after auto-thought, can auto-act be far behind? How long will it be before machines successfully predict who* a person wants to murder, then carry out the killing?

Boom times for sci-fi writers, surely. Though reality appears to be catching up.

* Relaxed standard speaking English used to differentiate from uptight machine language, which would require formal objective case.

No comments: