In the history of artificial intelligence, A. M. Turing proposed a practical technique to decide whether a computing machine could convincingly demonstrate human-like intelligence in conversation. Today, this famous conversational criterion is known as the:

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Turing Test

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Early artificial intelligence research needed a way to talk concretely about whether machines could be said to “think.” Alan Mathison Turing, a foundational figure in computer science, proposed an operational criterion rather than a philosophical debate: if a machine could hold a text-based conversation that a human evaluator could not reliably distinguish from a human interlocutor, the machine could be considered intelligent for practical purposes. This idea became widely known as the Turing Test.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The question asks for the present-day name of Turing’s proposed conversational criterion.
  • It concerns human–machine dialogue and indistinguishability from human responses.
  • The focus is on a practical test, not on mathematical systems or general algorithms.


Concept / Approach:
The Turing Test frames intelligence as observable behavior in conversation. The evaluator interacts via text-only channels to avoid bias from appearance or voice. If the evaluator cannot reliably tell which participant is the machine, the machine is said to have passed the test in that setting. This avoids metaphysical questions and emphasizes measurable performance—a theme that influences many modern AI benchmarks.


Step-by-Step Solution:

Identify the historical figure and contribution: Alan Turing proposed a conversational test for intelligence. Map the proposal to its modern name: this criterion is called the Turing Test. Eliminate distractors that are mathematical (Boolean algebra, logarithm) or generic (algorithm) rather than a named test. Select the answer: Turing Test.


Verification / Alternative check:
Decades of AI history cite the Imitation Game (1950) as the origin of the Turing Test. Contemporary discussions of AI capability often refer back to this behavioral standard, even as more specialized benchmarks have proliferated.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Boolean Algebra: a mathematical logic system, not a conversational criterion.
  • Algorithm: a general procedure; not Turing’s named test.
  • Logarithm: a mathematical function, unrelated to AI evaluation.
  • None of the above: incorrect because the correct name is the Turing Test.


Common Pitfalls:
Confusing the Turing Test with general problem-solving ability or assuming it involves speech, vision, or robotics; the original proposal used text-only interaction.


Final Answer:
Turing Test

More Questions from Artificial Intelligence

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion