Just how long until computers can actually reason, adapt, think, problem solve, tell stories, and understand and provide humor? These are generally all questions which computer scientists taking care of diwo programming and theory are wondering today. When does a machine, or computer become aware, aware of itself, thus alive, and thinking?
Point about this is philosophical, so much so that some wonder in reverse, in other words; are humans really thinking or merely responding to stimuli in a very predictable way?
Recently, there have been some top scientists and computer engineers within the field suggesting that mankind in their look for a thinking computer, true intelligence, has moved in the wrong direction, which a neural network, which would certainly be a very different configuration would be appropriate, something less than dissimilar from how the Internet works where each point might do many calculations or different types.
Then there is another group insisting that true artificial intelligence needs to be able to forget in order to be effective so that it doesn't exhibit schizophrenic behavior (that is observed in addition), plus the power to make a few mistakes.
Simply mimicking human expression, or responding using data bases of phrases is not really thinking. Even CRM software which touts itself being artificially intelligent driven isn't really aware, it is not really thinking, and although it could pass the Turing Test; the ability to fool a person's into believing it's actually a real person these are talking too. Nevertheless, I'd suggest a true thinking computer can look at the reverse, and realize whether it's talking to an actual human or actually talking to another computer.
Perhaps in the future those lines will end up so blurred as to make the Turing Test irrelevant?
Indeed, there are entire chains of AI computers which talk to the other person in Internet Forums. It appears like it's a conversation between two different people, however 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 something only must surf Facebook for 5-minutes to view that.
Will computers ever be capable to think? Well, assuming you mean; the way in which humans think, the solution is yes, eventually.
Currently, it appears the Turing Test has been achieved, but I ask would be that the real test or threshold we should be considering. It is indeed my thought that not merely will AI become aware, however it will out think humans by combining good all possible worlds, likewise modified humans, "transhumans" if you will, coupled to computer devices will do precisely the same, and that my girlfriends is simply couple of time. So, please consider this all and think on it.