Abstract
This article considers the remaining hindrances for natural language processing technologies in achieving open and natural (human-like) interaction between humans and computers. Although artificially intelligent (AI) systems have been making great strides in this field, particularly with the development of deep learning architectures that carry surface-level statistical methods to greater levels of sophistication, these systems are yet incapable of deep semantic analysis, reliable translation, and generating rich answers to open-ended questions. I consider how the process may be facilitated from our side, first, by altering some of our existing language conventions (which may occur naturally) if we are to proceed with statistical approaches, and secondly, by considering possibilities in using a formalised artificial language as an auxiliary medium, as it may avoid many of the inherent ambiguities and irregularities that make natural language difficult to process using rule-based methods. As current systems have been predominantly English-based, I argue that a formal auxiliary language would not only be a simpler and more reliable medium for computer processing, but may also offer a more neutral, easy-to-learn lingua franca for uniting people from different linguistic backgrounds with none necessarily having the upper hand.
Highlights
Ever since the idea of artificially intelligent (AI) agents emerged, researchers, philosophers, and science-fiction novelists have been concerned with the profound political, economic, and ethical implications it may hold for human life
We seem to be approaching a paradigm wherein all the more user interfaces and service operators take the form of AI software that we can communicate with, or at least give commands to, in natural language
Some optimistic predictions suggest that we would be able to interact with these technologies in a way that feels organic, current natural language processing (NLP) systems remain incapable of deep semantic analysis, effective and reliable translation, and generating complex text and rich and relevant answers to open-ended questions
Summary
Ever since the idea of artificially intelligent (AI) agents emerged, researchers, philosophers, and science-fiction novelists have been concerned with the profound political, economic, and ethical implications it may hold for human life. Thorough rule-based approaches have proven too timeconsuming and unreliable for processing natural language, and would be more effective given an inherently rational, regular language with definite grammatical rules This is something that a formalised artificial language could offer, as existing examples such as Ido and Lojban already suggest. I investigate the current strengths and limitations of NLP systems, given all the inherent, messy aspects of natural language that problematise its formalisation Based on these insights, I consider how our language conventions might be affected by increased interaction with such software. I consider: (i) how popular forms of communication technologies have already been affecting the communicative behaviours of its users, and (ii) how the conventions of a language ( English) naturally tend to be altered in communication with non-native speakers As the latter are unable to engage with the language on the same intuitive level as native speakers, I draw parallels between them and NLP software. I offer a few closing remarks on the scope of my argument, and conclusions regarding future possibilities in human-robot social interaction
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