Recently, Chinese scientists declared that they had created the first “artificial intelligence child” in history.
What she does: Tong Tong, or “Little Girl” in English, is a virtual artificial intelligence (AI) creature that was unveiled at the Frontiers of General Artificial Intelligence Technology Exhibition in Beijing in late January. According to the South China Morning Post, Tong Tong’s abilities are similar to those of a three- or four-year-old child. Unlike typical large language models (LLMs), Tong Tong is able to exhibit emotions like joy, rage, and grief in addition to being able to learn on her own, assign jobs to herself, and read human intents.
An opening video said, Tong Tong has a mind and aspires to comprehend the common sense taught by humans. She has the ability to influence the future, knows right from wrong, and expresses her attitudes in a variety of situations.
Who created her? The Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence (BIGAI), led by distinguished computer scientist, applied mathematician, and cognitive AI expert Zhu Songchun, is the organization that created Tong Tong. Zhu is said to have founded the institute in 2020 after resigning from his position as a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.
As per the experts, in order to attain general artificial intelligence, AI entities need to be able to grasp intricate surroundings and possess an extensive array of talents. As a result, the team also created the Tong Test, which evaluates AI in terms of values spanning from physiological to social demands as well as aspects including vision, language, cognition, mobility, and learning.
What comes next: The Tong Test attempts to verify that artificial intelligence can be integrated into human surroundings with ease, offering over 50 general activities and approximately 100 specialized tasks for evaluating general AI. With its focus on useful skills and principles for creating AI that serves society, this creative approach signals a change in the direction of AI testing.
It is anticipated that Tong Tong will eventually live with humans. She was allegedly observed by exhibition goers adjusting picture frames, wiping up spilled milk, and doing other activities.
