Five universities and I.B.M Research have received a $4.9 million dollar grant from the government’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency for a long-term venture in cognitive computing.  Cognitive computing is an engineering field that is just on the outer edge of artificial intelligence.  Participants hope to engineer the mind by reverse engineering the brain, according to Dharmendra Modha-the leader of IBM’s cognitive computing program.

Computers have the capacity to excel at tasks where the domains they operate in are equipped with clear rules, such as chess.  IBM’s Deep Blue (for which Deep Blue Interactive was named) beat chess champion Gary Kasparov in 1997, becoming the first artificial intelligence to defeat human intelligence.  On the other hand, computers do not excel at problems with no clear rules, such as locating lost items.  Can computers be given higher levels of cognition? Can computers perform sensation, perception, reasoning and learning if given clear rules on the matter?

Many argue that these are human emotions that cannot be implemented into a machine, or artificial intelligence.  Others believe that pursuing cognitive computing will advance many industries and can be conquered by understanding the brain’s workings.  Still others worry that the brain’s workings will prove to be far too complex to be modeled for science. 

The well-funded research will hopefully further the path toward a higher level of internet functionality and a better understanding of how the mind works.  Brought to you by Deep Blue Interactive, your Fort Lauderdale interactive marketing and web design firm.

Google’s YouTube is a very popular site for user-generated content.  Using revenue generated by placing Google ads along-side searchable videos, the site goes further to suggest related videos and content that may be of interest to the user based on the search query. Video is the future of search it would seem.

This online video model has provided Google with valuable research and information about creating targeted online advertising in conjunction with online video content-it is a much acclaimed and much criticized work in progress.  While YouTube is primarily an online source for entertainment, Google has begun to introduce professional video content as well, a signal that it intends to expand its concepts perhaps.

On Monday, Brad Stone reported that the Google-owned YouTube has a deal to allow users to view some full-length films and old TV shows from MGM.  This decision comes at a time when Hulu, the NBC and Fox venture, has become the go to site for mainstream TV shows and movies.

Opinions vary widely in regards to both sites, and according to several main focus-points.  In the past, studios have complained about Google and YouTube’s stance on posting copyrighted materials.  The controversy sparked by this caused tensions to run high toward Google, and created an unrealistic view of Google overpowering all its competition. 

Google has a reputation for keeping its cool and riding out the storms.  Opinions will continue to vary on which video hosting site is the best, and each site will continue to improve over time based on industry findings and user input.  Video content online is projected to become more prevalent in advertising, marketing and brand building.  Contact Deep Blue Interactive today for your free website analysis and interactive marketing strategy to align you company with the future of technology.