The length of time until computers can certainly reason, adapt, think, problem solve, tell stories, and understand and create humor? They are your concerns which computer scientists taking care of artificial intelligence systems programming and theory are asking themselves today. When does a machine, or computer system become aware, conscious of itself, thus alive, and thinking?
Much of this is philosophical, because of this that some ask the question backwards, frankly; are humans really thinking or merely answering stimuli really predictable way?
Recently, there has been some top scientists and computer engineers from the field suggesting that mankind in their visit a thinking computer, true intelligence, has moved in the wrong direction, and that a neural network, which could be a different configuration will be more appropriate, something not too dissimilar from how the Internet works where each point might do many calculations or different types.
Plus there is another group insisting that true artificial intelligence needs to be able to forget in order to be effective in order that it doesn't exhibit schizophrenic behavior (which was observed incidentally), plus the capacity to make mistakes.
Simply mimicking human expression, or responding using data bases of phrases is simply not thinking. Even CRM software which touts itself to be artificially intelligent driven is not actually aware, it is not really thinking, and even though it could pass the Turing Test; a chance to fool a person into believing it's actually a real person they are talking too. Nevertheless, I'd advise a true thinking computer could possibly take into account the reverse, and realize if it's talking to a genuine human or speaking with another computer.
Perhaps down the road all of the lines will become so blurred as to result in the Turing Test irrelevant?
Indeed, there has been entire chains of AI computers which talk with one another in Internet Forums. It appears like it's a conversation between a couple, though the dialogue is completely shallow, no original thinking really, even though some with the responses are interesting, some laughable, but humans too make stupid remarks often enough and something only must surf Facebook for 5-minutes to find out that.
Will computers ever be capable to think? Well, assuming you mean; just how humans think, the answer is yes, eventually.
Currently, this indicates the Turing Test has been achieved, but I ask is that the real test or threshold we should be considering. It is indeed my thought that not only can AI become aware, but it will out think humans by combining the best of all possible, likewise modified humans, "transhumans" if you will, coupled to computer devices will do exactly the same, which my friends is simply a matter of time. So, please consider all of this and think into it.