Today's CPA - 12

TECHNOLOGY ISSUES
Answer: "My intelligence is artificial."
Well, at least that was a better
answer.
Although this exercise might seem
somewhat rudimentary, we can
come to an understanding that
artificial intelligence, at least in its
current form (and perhaps in its
future form as well), is limited by

the information it is fed. However,
the real power might not be
apparent until the technology can
demonstrate being able to compare
multiple sources of information in
the blink of an eye and then present
the results back to the originator
of the question those answers most
common across the data sources.
We need to consider the

implications of feeding a
sophisticated artificial intelligence
program a healthy dose of "big data"
and then we might begin to see the
real potential power. We are not
even to the point of talking about
"thinking machines" and are just
scratching the surface on what the
technology might be able to do for
us.

The Four General Types of Artificial Intelligence
The industry has classified artificial intelligence into the
following four general types.

its own internal state of being, while also being able to
predict and interpret the feelings of others.

Type I - Reactive artificial intelligence: Reactive
artificial intelligence will respond to the same situation in
the same way, each and every time. A Type I deployment
has no ability to store memories, an example being
something along the lines of an automotive assembly
robot that places a weld in a specific location each time it
sees a chassis that it has been programmed to look for.

Taken to an extreme, Type IV thinking machines that
are capable of decisions and of even programming other
machines creates a dynamic, especially in the fields of
accounting, law or even health care, where the ability to
understand how certain conclusions have been reached
may be difficult, if not impossible. It is for this reason that
the blending of certain industries with the requirement
that technical aptitude and knowledge be gained to
understand this technology is clear.

Type II - Limited memory artificial
intelligence: Limited memory artificial intelligence
can recall stored data, but new memories are not saved,
meaning it cannot "learn" from its past experiences. An
example might include a self-driving car or perhaps a
home internet personal assistant (e.g., Google Home,
Amazon Alexia or Siri).

For example, the CPAs, lawyers or doctors of the future
might very well be required to not only understand
accounting, law or biology, but might also be required to
master data analytics and artificial intelligence as a part
of their professional education.

As a side note, there have been cases in the news where
these home personal assistants were temporarily storing
what they gathered and authorities were trying to
extract that data following the commission of a crime, as
these devices are always "listening" until they hear their
cue words. Even so, it would still be classified as Type II.

Type III - Theory of mind: Theory of mind is a
reference to the notion that a machine can recognize
others it interacts with, including the ability to have
thoughts, feelings and even expectations. A machine
equipped with this technology would be able to
understand interactions with others and interpret
conversations. This interpretation would include
detecting the feelings and expectations of others, and
adjusting its behavior and interactions accordingly.

Type IV - Self-awareness: This is the version of
artificial intelligence that the general public seems to
fear, mainly because a machine equipped with Type IV
would, in fact, be self-aware. As the next progressive step
beyond the "theory of mind," a self-aware machine would
be completely aware of itself and have knowledge about
12 Texas Society of CPAs

iStock.com/Andy

As another example, look at the car industry and how
technology has driven the educational expectations
of mechanics. A few decades ago, a car could be
worked on with nothing more than a toolbox full of
CraftsmanTM wrenches. For modern automobiles though,
trying to do anything major to your car without a
diagnostic computer is difficult, if not impossible. Now,
understanding computer diagnostics is a key part of a
mechanics' formal training.



http://www.iStock.com/Andy

Today's CPA

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Today's CPA

Front Cover
APS Ad
Table of Contents
Chairmans Message
Accounting and Auditing
Today's CPA - Front Cover
Today's CPA - Chairmans Message
Today's CPA - Accounting and Auditing
Today's CPA - 6
Today's CPA - 7
Today's CPA - 11
Today's CPA - 12
Today's CPA - 13
Today's CPA - 14
Today's CPA - 15
Could not find last issue https://www.nxtbookmedia.com