The length of time until computers can actually reason, adapt, think, problem solve, tell stories, and understand and provide humor? They are all questions which computer scientists focusing on diwo programming and theory are thinking about today. When will a machine, or computer system become aware, aware of itself, thus alive, and thinking?
Point about this is philosophical, so much so that some ask the question in reverse, in other words; are humans really thinking or merely answering stimuli in a really predictable way?
Recently, there has been some top scientists and computer engineers from the field suggesting that mankind in his find a thinking computer, true intelligence, has moved within the wrong direction, and that a neural network, which may be considered a different configuration would be right, something not too dissimilar from how the Internet works where each point might do many calculations or different kinds.
Plus there is another group insisting that true artificial intelligence needs a chance to forget in order to be effective in order that it doesn't exhibit schizophrenic behavior (which has been observed incidentally), plus the ability to make mistakes.
Simply mimicking human expression, or responding using data bases of phrases is simply not thinking. Even CRM software which touts itself being artificially intelligent driven isn't really aware, it's not really thinking, and although it will pass the Turing Test; to be able to fool an individual into believing it's a real person they are talking too. And yet, I'd suggest a true thinking computer can consider the reverse, and realize whether or not it's talking to a true human or speaking with another computer.
Perhaps in the foreseeable future all of the lines can be so blurred about result in the Turing Test irrelevant?
Indeed, there are entire chains of AI computers which speak to one another in Internet Forums. It looks like it is a conversation between two people, nevertheless the dialogue is entirely shallow, with out original thinking really, however some from the responses are interesting, some laughable, but humans too make stupid remarks often enough the other only needs to surf Facebook for 5-minutes to see that.
Will computers be in a position to think? Well, assuming you mean; the way humans think, the answer is yes, eventually.
Currently, it seems the Turing Test continues to be achieved, however i ask is that the real test or threshold we should be considering. The first choice for thought that not only will AI become aware, however it will out think humans by combining the best of both worlds, likewise modified humans, "transhumans" if you will, coupled to computer devices can do the same, knowning that my buddies is simply a a few time. So, please consider this all and think about it.