[TheProgrammer]

I have been interested in machine learning for some time now, but I was wondering about the use of symbolic artificial intelligence. It seems like there isn't a lot of resources on this topic.

When I say symbolic AI, I am not referring to search/optimization algorithms, but a way of writing your own logic rules that would be executed based on the situation (frameworks, libraries, techniques).

[Korrelan]

Hi TheProgrammer and welcome to the forum...

Do you have a brief example of what you qualify as a symbolic function?

Do you mean a new programming language?

Chatbots manipulate strings with custom heuristics, do they qualify?

 

Ah! a bit of research...

Symbolic AI refers to the fact that all steps are based on symbolic human readable representations of the problem that use logic and search to solve problem.

Key advantage of Symbolic AI is that the reasoning process can be easily understood – a Symbolic AI program can easily explain why a certain conclusion is reached and what the reasoning steps had been.

A key disadvantage of Non-symbolic AI is that it is difficult to understand how the system came to a conclusion. This is particularly important when applied to critical applications such as self-driving cars, medical diagnosis among others.

A key disadvantage of Symbolic AI is that for learning process – the rules and knowledge has to be hand coded which is a hard problem.

Non-symbolic systems such as DL-powered applications cannot take high-risk decisions

So far, symbolic AI has been confined to the academic world and university labs with little research coming from industry giants.

 

[TheProgrammer]

Hello Korrelan

Any program that manipulates abstract symbols in a human readable procedures would qualify.
I'm looking for some research and practices used for creating these type of programs for specific problems.

Also, how many active users does this forum have?

[Korrelan]

It would seem from what I’ve read that any AI not designed/ based upon genetic algorithms, neural nets, biological principles, etc can be considered a symbolic schema… so anything not connectionist based.

This leaves a wide bewildering swath of AI schemas including, chatbots, heuristic based approaches, pattern matching schemas like chess engines, etc.  The manipulation of strings, numbers as symbols not quantities, physical symbols/ tokens and their proximity to each other are all considered symbolic approaches.

https://mkw.host.cs.st-andrews.ac.uk/IC_Group/What_is_Symbolic_AI_full.html

Also, how many active users does this forum have?

https://aidreams.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=stats

Could you narrow your requirements a little more? perhaps give a specific problem you want to solve?

 

[LOCKSUIT]

I'd say many active users. I alone am very active...

Idk around 9-15 of us are common posting, probably not 50 common users....no...However there's many guests that refuse to speak! Lol!! Apparently in the hundreds to thousands.

[LOCKSUIT]

The real AI book is these 2 books.

Here is your symbolic logical reasoning AI you seek, here, really !:
http://solr.bccampus.ca:8001/bcc/file/5d41a649-ce0f-4462-bc3d-564568b5c857/1/Logic%20text%20v%201.4.pdf

Here is a good book to read too, a real AI book:
see attachment

[TheProgrammer]

It would seem from what I’ve read that any AI not designed/ based upon genetic algorithms, neural nets, biological principles, etc can be considered a symbolic schema… so anything not connectionist based.

Currently i am learning so sorry for being too vague in my definition, as now i realize that every algorithm outside of ML would basically fall into it.

Could you narrow your requirements a little more? perhaps give a specific problem you want to solve?

I'm trying to create a knowledge hierarchy that could be used in low-level reasoning rules and have a short term memory.
Again pretty broad example, but i didn't really wrapped my head around this concept.

So i am going to post in detail later what is my idea.

[TheProgrammer]

I'd say many active users. I alone am very active...

Idk around 9-15 of us are common posting, probably not 50 common users....no...However there's many guests that refuse to speak! Lol!! Apparently in the hundreds to thousands.

Is the site growing in popularity recently?

[Art]

Welcome Programmer!

I'm trying to make sense of your interest in our site's membership but in numbers and activity.
Your inquiry as to whether this site is growing in numbers also piques my curiosity and interest.

Being a Moderator, such inquiries always sets off my alarm to some extent. Perhaps there is a reason behind them. 

[TheProgrammer]

Being a Moderator, such inquiries always sets off my alarm to some extent. Perhaps there is a reason behind them. 

Just curious 

[Freddy]

Hello and welcome TheProgrammer

There's a main core of daily active users and others that report in on their projects once and a while. We get a lot of hits on our articles, not everyone posts in the forum though.

I'd say it was busy enough to have something interesting to read each day. I think this year is amongst the busiest we have had, seems there were more people joining since last year.

It's always been a bit of a niche area, but the forum is in a pretty healthy state and there aren't that many AI forums that are active these days like we are.

[LOCKSUIT]

The site Kurzweil himself murdered was AI-Singularity-happy. All that's left is the little perk drifters as you can see here one fella made. It looks 'active'.:
https://bescapevelocity.runboard.com/

Or side effects of my past presence...
I almost destroyed Two Minute Papers after reciprocating with him. He said to us he wants to focus on his life goals more now.

[8pla.net]

My Suggestion to The Programmer is:  A.I. in  B.A.S.I.C.

Artificial Intelligence in Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code

Reference:
http://www.nicholson.com/rhn/basic/classic_programs/eliza.bas