The Turing Test is a deceptively simple method of determining whether a machine can demonstrate human intelligence: If a machine can engage in a conversation with a human without being detected as a machine, it has demonstrated human intelligence.

The Turing Test was proposed in a paper published in 1950 by mathematician and computing pioneer Alan Turing. It has become a fundamental motivator in the theory and development of artificial Intelligence (AI).

Rapid advances in computing are now visible in many aspects of our lives. We have programs that translate one language to another in the blink of an eye, robots that clean an entire home in minutes, finance robots that create personalized retirement portfolios, and wearable devices that track our health and fitness levels.

At the forefront of disruptive technology is the development of artificial intelligence and what limitations computer can experience. For this reason, the Turing test was designed to evaluate whether a computer could be “smart” enough to be mistaken for a human. Critics of the Turing Test argue that a computer can be built that has the ability to think, but not to have a mind of its own. They believe that the complexity of the human thought process cannot be coded. Read On: