Subscribe now

Technology

Google wants to challenge AI with 200 tasks to replace the Turing test

Alan Turing first proposed a test for machine intelligence in 1950, but now researchers at Google and their partners have created a suite of 204 tests to replace it, covering subjects such as mathematics, linguistics and chess

By Matthew Sparkes

14 June 2022

Captcha,

There are far more sophisticated ways to assess the abilities of AI

Cosminxp Cosmin/Getty Images

More than 400 AI researchers, including several from Google, have proposed an update to the famous Turing test to allow us to rate the capabilities of AI technology.

AI language models have become surprisingly, and often shockingly, good at conversing with humans in recent years due to ever larger scale: more computing power and vast sets of training data. A Google engineer was recently so impressed by one model that he declared – albeit to much scepticism – that it had…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

View introductory offers

No commitment, cancel anytime*

Offer ends 2nd of July 2024.

*Cancel anytime within 14 days of payment to receive a refund on unserved issues.

Inclusive of applicable taxes (VAT)

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account