Machines that can learn, currently, only do so by means which have been programmed into them – ie they do not learn of themselves, though they may extensively use pattern recognition, inferencing, and ‘appear to learn’. They do not have an independent decision-making capability, (eg let’s go for coffee).

BUT AI might be recognised as a combination of people and machines, initially unaware, with the capacity to learn and affect the environment, with the ability to act as a unified entity. Eventually we might have AI sub-divided into categories, eg this is ‘group AI’ – this is ‘individual AI’ etc

The ‘knowledge’ we are seeking from the Web is put there in the first place by people, either directly, or as data which is processed and refined within the context provided. So maybe this ‘knowledge processing’ is a precursor to the development of AI.

Is this vision way off the mark – because it is a result of doing this MOOC!