North Lake College Artificial Intelligence Questions Paper

1. Is AI a science, or is it engineering? Or neither or both? Explain.

2. How could introspection—reporting on one’s inner thoughts—be inaccurate? Could I be wrong about what I’m thinking? Discuss.

3. To what extent are the following computer systems instances of artificial intelligence: • Supermarket bar code scanners.
• Web search engines.
• Voice-activated telephone menus.

4. Consider a modified version of the vacuum environment (presented in class), in which the geography of the environment – its extent, boundaries, and obstacles – is unknown, as is the initial dirt configuration. (The agent can go Up and Down as well as Left and Right.)

a. Can a simple reflex agent be perfectly rational for this environment? Explain.

b. Can a simple reflex agent with a randomized agent function outperform a simple reflex agent? Explain. Describe the design of your randomized agent.

5. Every year the Loebner prize is awarded to the program that comes closest to passing a version of the Turing test. Research and report (1/2 page) on the latest winner of the Loebner prize. What techniques does it use? How does it advance the state of the art in AI?