The Nation - News from Nov. 8, 1988

The Pentagon said it will begin development of an artificial intelligence computer that could recognize and compare patterns and then solve problems the way the human brain does. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Pentagon’s research arm, said it will spend $33 million over the next 17 months to determine “the potential advantages of artificial neural networks” and develop the necessary computer hardware. Ordinary computers perform only mathematical functions, such as addition and subtraction, as instructed by their human operators. They cannot recognize and compare patterns and reach conclusions, as the brain does. Pentagon scientists will look at the results of the 17-month effort before deciding whether to spend more money, Pentagon spokeswoman Jan Bodanyi said.