Having first started programming in the second grade (completely self-taught), I remember first starting off with BASIC. However, since that's not really around anymore and there's no real equivalent, I'd recommend python simply because it doesn't require you to initialize variables, the indented syntax is extremely intuitive, and most of the operation are easily understandable. Start him off with simple console apps, like an adventure game, and then move into trying to imitate other apps, at which point he will almost definitely want to start pursuing more low-level languages like C. For me, I went from BASIC directly to C and then from C to python. The transition from BASIC to C was really difficult due to the many differences but it goes to show you that no matter what you start off on, you'll do fine.

According to the article, the computers are accessing a database filled with plausible answers to questions. That doesn't constitute intelligence. When in the history of the universe, has anyone defined intelligence as looking things up in a database. Intelligence cannot be programmed in the classical sense of the word. The brain is a very complex organ, no doubt. But each cell in the brain is identical. When we figure out what one of those cells do and how only one of them work, we will be able to replicate it in a computer. And then we wouldn't need to give the computer infinite amounts of useless data. We could teach it like the intelligent being that a program such as the one described would be.