Weak artificial intelligence

"Weak AI" is a term coined by John R.Searle and explained in his paper Minds, Brains, And Programs 1980.

This term refers to the use of software to study the behaviourisitc and pragmatic view of intelligence. In weak AI there is not the claim for software actually being intelligent, but just being a tool we use to asses formally hypothesis reguarding intelligence.

Formality is a necessity if a mechanistic approach is required. Weak AI also covers probabilistic systems where results though not deterministic ( i.e. knowing the next state of the system from its history up to current state .) If results are based not on "real" cognitive mechanisms with a deep enough complexity as to accomodate intentionality ( whether this is a real concept or not is beyond the scope of this article), though the input/output interface layer would appear to us as hiding an intelligent "mind" it's an illusion; pretty much like going to a theather and seeing a landscape scene in the background, and since the perspective impression is perfect from our point of view, ignore common sense and accept as fact that the landscape is real.

The definition of "weak AI" accepts this reality and is opposed to Strong AI that (as Searle defined it) is the term coined for the pragmatic stand that the appearance of intelligence from the external point, must inherently imply that there is a "real" mind hidden in the machine with for cognitive capabilities as those or equivalent to the human ones.

David Saliba