Weak AI
Weak AI is a term coined by John Searle and explained in his paper Minds, Brains, And Programs.
This term refers to the use of software to study the behavioristic and pragmatic view of intelligence. In weak AI, there is not the claim for software actually being intelligent, but just being a tool we use to assess hypotheses regarding the nature of intelligence.
Formality is a necessity if a mechanistic approach is required. Weak AI also covers probabilistic systems where results are not deterministic. If results are based not on "real" cognitive mechanisms with a deep enough complexity as to accomodate intentionality, though the input/output interface layer would appear to us as hiding an intelligent "mind", it's an illusion; like watching a movie and seeing a landscape scene in the background, and since the perspective impression is perfect from our point of view, ignore common sense and accept as fact that the landscape is real.
The definition of "Weak AI" accepts this reality and is opposed to Strong AI that (as Searle defined it) is the term coined for the pragmatic stand that the appearance of intelligence from the external point, must inherently imply that there is a "real" mind hidden in the machine with same cognitive capabilities as those, or equivalent to, the human ones.
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