Training AI to understand how people think: Google’s DeepMind is one step closer to “thinking” like humans…

AI machines or programs capable of understanding and executing human thought patterns have been a popular theme in sci-fi for decades. Countless movies and books have explored the possibilities of future AI — and most of it looks pretty darn grim for humans — and now Google’s DeepMind firm could be bringing what was once considered fiction to life. The ushering in of new AI advancements could come at a steep price, as DeepMind trains their AI bot, named Theory of Mind-net, or ToM-net, to understand how humans think.

Indeed, the advent of a more human-like generation of AI is upon us — but how long will it take for these new machines to surpass their creators? Reports indicate that DeepMind’s new ToM-net bot is capable of passing a psychological test that “most children only develop the skills for at around age four.” It is this capacity to grasp the “theory of mind” test that may drive us towards a future of robots that are nearly as human as we are.