Abstract- Ernest Edmonds

Human and Robot Behaviour: Art meets AI

In April 1976, the author organized an AISB (The Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and the Simulation of Behaviour) meeting called Human & Robot Behaviour at Leicester Polytechnic. Amongst the invited talks was one by Edward Ihnatowicz in which he put forward his argument about the integral significance of the body in intelligent behavior. It was quite far reaching in intent, “…we are interested not so much in machines that can learn but in
machines that can teach, or at least in machines that can teach, having learnt”. In this presentation and in many conversations Edward was sowing the seeds of many future developments in the interactive arts. This presentation in Leicester, including a written paper in the conference preprints, was his most public statement at that time. The author had organized the AISB meeting because he was very
intrigued by the potential of artificial intelligence and cognitive
science for art practice, so brought a collection of experts from these different fields together for a couple of days of intense discussion. As well as Edward Ihnatowicz, the participants included, for example, Brian Reffin Smith, John Lifton, Stroud Cornock and Steve Scrivener. From the AI and robotics side, we had, for example, Pat Ambler. Margaret Boden, Max Bramer, Bernard Meltzer, Robin Popplestone and John F. Young. Bob Hopgood from the Atlas Laboratory was also there and Stuart Sutherland chaired the final discussion, which brought all of the areas of interest, from art to AI, together. It was an intense two days with many opportunities for cross-disciplinary exchanges. The paper will present information about the meeting, the papers presented at it will discuss its influences.