Over 50 years ago, scientists began to envision a world where computers and humans could converse. In 1956 the field of "Artificial Intelligence" was officially born, and the work on "AI" began in earnest. Walking and talking robots are still the stuff of science fiction, but AI is getting closer and closer to making them reality. We have expert software systems that perform difficult diagnostic tasks, chess-playing programs that play on the grandmaster level, and specialized systems that respond to English language commands. In this course, we will explore the field of Artificial Intelligence. We will try to answer the question "what makes a machine intelligent?" Among the systems we will explore will be game-playing systems, systems that learn from their environments, and one that thinks it's a psychiatrist. Underlying all the topics addressed in this course will be two fundamental issues: How can information be represented in a computer so that the machine is able to make use of it and how can the system manipulate that information so that it is able to perform a task that requires intelligence? This course will emphasize hands-on laboratory experience. Students will experiment with and expand upon existing AI programs. This course does not assume any programming experience, but assumes that the student is comfortable working with a computer. This course is not open to students who have successfully completed a Computer Science course numbered 134 or above. Enrollment limited to 18. Evaluation will be based on project work and exams.
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