Search Engines getting ready to answer questions directly - Good or Bad?

[SYNACK]

Computer scientist, Stephen Wolfram, feels that he has put together at least the initial version of a computer that actually answers factual questions, a la Star Trek’s ship computers. His version will be found on their Web-based application, Wolfram Alpha.

 

What does this mean? Well instead of returning links to pages that may (or may not) contain the answer to your questions, Wolfram will respond with the actual answer. Now the caveat ‘factual’ is important. You can ask it questions like ‘why is the sky blue?’ or ‘how many bones are in the human body?’, but probably not ‘do you think abortion is wrong?’. This computational knowledge engine uses natural language to parse the questions and can also accept coded queries.

 

This technology could totally change the way most people search for information, you would no longer need to search through multiple possibly related webpages to find the actual answer. The answer would simply be presented to you by the engine. Whether this is a good thing or simply another crutch that people will use instead of thinking for them selves is up for debate but it certainly looks interesting.

 

http://www.gizmosforgeeks.com/2009/03/08/wolfram-alpha-promises-computing-that-answers-questions/

Edited March 9, 2009 by SYNACK

[Ric_]

Makes pub quiz cheating even easier!

[fafster]

The START Natural Language Question Answering System

[sahmeepee]

Google already do this in a way with their Google SMS service. You can ask it things like the population of Spain and it will come back with the answer. Obviously it's only an approximation... Google's not that good.. yet!

[localzuk]

Nice. It may be a bit limited if they stick to an encyclopedia style database though. They need to ensure it includes things like train times, and other services. So if someone types 'when is the first bus from Minehead to Taunton?' it will give an answer taken from the First Bus site. Otherwise, it is, to be honest, limited in use.

[sidewinder]

If its something obscure or disputed, how could you trust what it came back with? Id rather look at the sources myself I think

[srochford]

Nice. It may be a bit limited if they stick to an encyclopedia style database though. They need to ensure it includes things like train times, and other services. So if someone types 'when is the first bus from Minehead to Taunton?' it will give an answer taken from the First Bus site. Otherwise, it is, to be honest, limited in use.

 

That company name always makes me smile; what if I want to know the time of the last bus to see if I can get home from the pub? Do I need the last bus site :-)

[localzuk]

If its something obscure or disputed, how could you trust what it came back with? Id rather look at the sources myself I think

 

I think it would need to provide a link also to the full data such as 'find out more'.

[Michael]

I don't really see this has anything revolutionary if I am honest. It's only useful for factual information as the example it gives is open to personal opinion. Some people think it's wrong and other people think it's right. I actually enjoy reading and researching on the web

[CHR1S]

In theory its great, bringing lots of information to you quickly. But will it work in reality, suppose its only as clever as the original information and the way it finds and catagorises it.

[RabbieBurns]

In a recent epiosode of Numb3rs, the DARPA had developed an AI that could pass the turing(sp) test, but all it actually was was a big googlebot that looked up the correct response to whatever question it was asked...

[dhicks]

Computer scientist, Stephen Wolfram, feels that he has put together at least the initial version of a computer that actually answers factual questions, a la Star Trek’s ship computers.

 

Hmm. Project for over summer, then: rig up the computer in the media suite (which is connected to some nice speakers and a projector) to some voice-recognition software and a decent microphone, then have it direct all queries that start with "Computer..." to Wolfram's site. Also have "on screen" mean "answer Skype" and you've pretty much covered every function except being able to fire missiles at things. Will have to work on that bit.

 

--

David Hicks

[localzuk]

In a recent epiosode of Numb3rs, the DARPA had developed an AI that could pass the turing(sp) test, but all it actually was was a big googlebot that looked up the correct response to whatever question it was asked...

 

There would have to be a lot more to it than that. Natural language responses are key.

[pete]

Won't it make idiots even more convinced they're right because the Internet told them so?

 

Great for "what is a cat?" type questions, though confusion of catalytic converters, felines and meercats is possible.

 

Rubbish for "what's the best way to do $foo?" because 90% of the time, the answer is something along the lines of "it depends".

[dhicks]

Rubbish for "what's the best way to do $foo?" because 90% of the time, the answer is something along the lines of "it depends".

 

Yes, but this is Stephen Wolfram we're talking about here, not some random marketing executive with no clue as to what computers are actually capable of - it should be interesting to see exactly what new innovation the search engine has actually come up with. I have a sneaky suspicion the engine might need some "training" consisting of a large number of asked questions before it starts returning reasonably coherent results, mind.

 

--

David Hicks

[DAckroyd]

Just been playing with WolframAlpha and it's cool!!! so much useless info - would be great for teachers of many subjects

[localzuk]

Yes, but this is Stephen Wolfram we're talking about here, not some random marketing executive with no clue as to what computers are actually capable of - it should be interesting to see exactly what new innovation the search engine has actually come up with. I have a sneaky suspicion the engine might need some "training" consisting of a large number of asked questions before it starts returning reasonably coherent results, mind.

 

--

David Hicks

 

It has already been stated that it will involve lots of training, as it is a learning based system.

[localzuk]

Just been playing with WolframAlpha and it's cool!!! so much useless info - would be great for teachers of many subjects

 

I'm not so interested in the encyclopaedic uses of it, but more interested in the natural language processing, and the way it can integrate with systems we all use.

 

Imagine, SIMS.net. Crafting a report would be as easy as asking 'List all pupils with allergies to peanuts in Year 7 and sort into their class groups' or something... Compared to hours of careful designing...

[dhicks]

It has already been stated that it will involve lots of training, as it is a learning based system.

 

Great, now's your chance to make a bit of search-engine history - figure out how Wolfram does its learning and rig questions so they get the answer of your choice. This search engine was featured on the Today programme on the radio this morning, so I guess it must be ready to go. Who wants to take bets as to how soon "How is babby formed?" hist the top 10 searches?

 

--

David Hicks

[localzuk]

Great, now's your chance to make a bit of search-engine history - figure out how Wolfram does its learning and rig questions so they get the answer of your choice. This search engine was featured on the Today programme on the radio this morning, so I guess it must be ready to go. Who wants to take bets as to how soon "How is babby formed?" hist the top 10 searches?

 

The learning involves their Mathematica language, which involves some human involvement if I recall correctly. So, at the moment, it shouldn't be possible to game the system. Also, in its current form, it isn't a dynamically growing database of information - new databases are added manually.