How long until computers can certainly reason, adapt, think, problem solve, tell stories, and understand and provide humor? They're all queries which computer scientists focusing on diwo programming and theory are wondering today. When does a machine, or computer become aware, conscious of itself, thus alive, and thinking?
Much of this is philosophical, so much so that some wonder in the opposite direction, frankly; are humans really thinking or merely addressing stimuli really predictable way?
Recently, there are some top scientists and computer engineers in the field suggesting that mankind in his look for a thinking computer, true intelligence, has moved in the wrong direction, knowning that a neural network, which may be a very different configuration would be right, something not too dissimilar from the way the Internet works where each point might do many calculations or different types.
Then there is another group insisting that true artificial intelligence needs the opportunity to forget in order to work properly so that it doesn't exhibit schizophrenic behavior (that is observed mind you), along with the power to get some things wrong.
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 is not really aware, it isn't really really thinking, and although it will pass the Turing Test; the opportunity to fool an individual into believing it is a real person they are talking too. And yet, I'd suggest a true thinking computer would be able to think about the reverse, and realize if it can be speaking with a real human or actually talking to another computer.
Perhaps in the foreseeable future those lines will become so blurred about result in the Turing Test irrelevant?
Indeed, there are entire chains of AI computers which talk with one another in Internet Forums. It appears as if it is just a conversation between 2 different people, however the dialogue is completely shallow, no original thinking really, however some of the responses are interesting, some laughable, but humans too make stupid remarks often enough the other only has to surf Facebook for 5-minutes to see that.
Will computers be capable to think? Well, assuming you mean; the way humans think, the answer then is yes, eventually.
Currently, it appears the Turing Test has been achieved, however ask would be that the real test or threshold you should be considering. It's my thought not simply will AI become aware, however it will out think humans by combining the very best of both worlds, likewise modified humans, "transhumans" if you'll, coupled to computer devices can do precisely the same, understanding that my girlfriends is just a few time. So, please consider all this and think onto it.