How long until computers can reason, adapt, think, problem solve, tell stories, and understand and provide humor? They are your concerns which computer scientists focusing on automated business optimization programming and theory are asking themselves today. When will a machine, or pc become aware, alert to itself, thus alive, and thinking?
Much of this is philosophical, so much so that some ask the question back, this means; are humans really thinking or merely answering stimuli in a really predictable way?
Recently, there have been some top scientists and computer engineers from the field suggesting that mankind as part of his find a thinking computer, true intelligence, has moved from the wrong direction, which a neural network, which will be described as a very different configuration could be correct, something not very dissimilar from what sort of Internet works where each point might do many calculations or differing types.
As there are another group insisting that true artificial intelligence needs a chance to forget in order to be effective therefore it doesn't exhibit schizophrenic behavior (that has been observed mind you), plus the ability to get some things wrong.
Simply mimicking human expression, or responding using data bases of phrases isn't thinking. Even CRM software which touts itself to be artificially intelligent driven isn't really aware, it isn't really thinking, and although it might pass the Turing Test; the ability to fool a person's into believing it's actually a real person they are talking too. And yet, I'd advise a true thinking computer could consider the reverse, and realize regardless of whether it is talking to a true human or speaking to another computer.
Perhaps later on all those lines can become so blurred as to result in the Turing Test irrelevant?
Indeed, there were entire chains of AI computers which speak to one another in Internet Forums. It seems like it is just a conversation between 2 different people, nevertheless the dialogue is entirely shallow, and no original thinking really, although some people might from the responses are interesting, some laughable, but humans too make stupid remarks often enough and one only must surf Facebook for 5-minutes to determine that.
Will computers be in a position to think? Well, assuming you mean; the best way humans think, the answer then is yes, eventually.
Currently, it seems like the Turing Test continues to be achieved, on the other hand ask is that the real test or threshold we should be considering. It is my belief that not simply will AI become aware, however it will out think humans by combining good all possible, likewise modified humans, "transhumans" if you will, coupled to computer devices is going to do exactly the same, knowning that my girlfriends is simply a a few time. So, please consider all of this and think onto it.