Re:HAL is alive (Score 2, Interesting)

As my AI company, Webmind Inc. (formerly Intelligenesis) dissolved in April 2001, I can sympathize with the situation. We have also been in hibernation ever since -- a small team of us continuing the AI work without pay, and striving to line up new funding. (see goertzel.org/webmind.htm for more of the story). It's a hell of a shame that "real AI" efforts can't be consistently funded these days, either in academia or in industry. I'm happy Jason and his team aren't giving up the fight. AI really is achievable in the near future, all it takes is the persistence to work through the various technical problems and to test and teach patiently. And there are many different ways to get to real AI -- Jason has one, we Webminders have another. Eliezer Yudkowsky (www.singinst.org) may have another, I'm not sure yet.... Don't believe the mainstream AI community that real AI is decades or centuries away. This will only be true if the "conspiracy" to deny real AI R&D funding prevails ;-p

-- Ben Goertzel