Daydreaming in Humans and Machines: A Computer Model of the Stream of Thought

Rating:
Summary: "Daydreaming..." documents a milestone in AI research.
Review: Based on work done by Mueller and colleagues at UCLA in thelate 1980's, "Daydreaming..." describes the development andoperation of a novel type of artifical intelligence program known as "DAYDREAMER". The program simulates the "daydreams" of a young female living and working the Los Angeles area. With its special emphasis on the endless internal dialoque we all carry on within our minds, the program worries about earthquakes, getting a date with Harrison Ford, and buying sunglasses, among other things. The output is surprisingly coherent, and an examination of the software gives somes very interesting insight into the role that emotions play in the guidance of our daydream thoughts. Moreover, with the creation of the DAYDREAMER program, Mueller may have come closer to the realization of Artificial Intelligence than one might surmise from the title alone. Written more in the style of a light technical reference than a typical scientific research work, "Daydreaming..." presents the reader with a step-by-step account of the development, testing, and operation of the software. Example program fragments are included to help illustrate key points, which is unusual for a book of this type. Perhaps more interesting than its content is the lack of interest in Mueller's work shown by the AI research community, which is a shame, since DAYDREAMER illustrates for the first time some of the inner workings of the private corners of cognition. Highly recommended for anyone interested in AI and cognitive psychology.