August 30, 2009: Artificial Intelligence - Dr. Bart Kosko

Art Bell sits down with Bart Kosko, professor of electrical engineering at USC and author of multiple books on fuzzy logic and neural networks, to explore the current state and future of artificial intelligence. The conversation ranges from nanotechnology and carbon nanotubes to the fundamental question of whether machines can ever achieve true consciousness.

Kosko explains how fuzzy logic differs from traditional binary computing by thinking in shades of gray rather than strict yes-or-no categories. He describes its practical applications in everyday devices from camcorders to car transmissions. The discussion turns to neural networks and how they learn to recognize patterns through examples rather than rigid rules, drawing parallels to how the human brain processes information.

Art presses Kosko on whether systems like Google are becoming genuinely intelligent and whether AI could eventually replace human experts in fields like medicine and law. Kosko draws on his own experience as a former LA County prosecutor to illustrate why emotional intelligence and real-time human judgment remain beyond the reach of current machines. He argues that without hormonal systems driving will, greed, and self-awareness, computers are unlikely to become the self-aware threats of science fiction.