From newshub.ccs.yorku.ca!ists!helios.physics.utoronto.ca!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!uunet!mcsun!uknet!edcastle!aisb!cam Tue Nov 19 11:09:03 EST 1991
Article 1202 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: cam@aisb.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy
Subject: Re: Artificial Stupidity?
Message-ID: <1991Nov5.144209.14194@aisb.ed.ac.uk>
Date: 5 Nov 91 14:42:09 GMT
References: <TODD.91Nov4211052@juno.elcom.nitech.ac.jp>
Reply-To: cam@aifh.ed.ac.uk (Chris Malcolm)
Distribution: comp.ai,comp.ai.philosophy
Organization: Dept AI, Edinburgh University, Scotland
Lines: 30

Yes, there has been research into artificial stupidity in the UK. This
was funded as an experimental computerisation of the DHSS (Department of
Health and Social Security), the Govt Dept which is responsible for
humiliating those who haven't got a job. I append a press
release, published in Elektronic Brane some years ago.

COMPUTERISATION OF THE DHSS
---------------------------

Progress in this large scale demonstrator project has been hampered
lately by the unwillingness of the DHSS staff to allow the ai
(artificial ignorance) research workers to enter DHSS offices, or to
interview staff.  In particular this has meant that Prof Branestawn's
new arbitrary algorithm, the most important breakthrough in Officious
Systems development for several weeks, has had to be implemented in the
BBC (basic bureaucratic core) without the careful parameter mistuning
essential to a properly pessimised performance.  A project management
spokesthing said that they would reschedule the ignorance elicitation
phase to coincide with the escape of the antepenultimate gamma test
version, so that there would be little effect on the final deadline
gravestone, but in Prof Branestawm's opinion the improperly pessimised
arbitrary algorithm could have an unfortunately beneficial effect on the
Injustice Maintenance System, and might even mean failure of the final
Officious System to achieve the necessary Kafka rating of user
hostility.

-- 
Chris Malcolm    cam@uk.ac.ed.aipna   +44 (0)31 667 1011 x2550
Department of Artificial Intelligence,    Edinburgh University
5 Forrest Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2QL, UK                DoD #205


