Challenges for AI: if you're so bloody smart ...

It is suggested that the acid test for AI – indeed, for it to qualify as AGI – is that it should start generating New Science: hitherto unknown but recognisably scientific advances that can be tested against the usual criteria for such things.  We read that ‘ordinary’ 2023-vintage AI has been used in developing a wholly new antibiotic for use against Acinetobacter baumannii, a nasty strain of superbug.  OK, and all power to the team that achieved this: but it’s not quite an AI achievement per se: we’re still in “useful software” territory.  Couldn’t have been done without software?  Well, neither could much of what I’ve been doing today by way of working from home.

So – I’d like to propose a test.  To my mind, one of the weirdest “non developments” of the past 100 years has been the complete failure of bio-chemical science to come up with artificial blood.  Surely, that would be up there with genuinely efficient large-scale storage of electricity** – crack that, and you can have your university re-named after yourself.  “Being a big help with finding antibiotics” is great.  Devising artificial blood – there’s the real test.  Go for it, Mr A(G)I.

Any other tests that readers would like to suggest?

ND

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** Yes, of course I know that it’s never really electricity that gets stored, it’s electricity-into-something-else-&-back-into-electricity-again-later.