Can Computers Pick the Next Big Thing?

Not the next big thing, just an oldie but something that still sends shivers down my spine ...

Was introduced to a counselling software progam years ago that was so "human" you only sussed it was a machine minutes into telling it about your hypothetical problem ....

Must admit I don't find Norton's automated problem-solvers terribly helpful, though.

Linda

There used to be one out there, I think called iGod which was usually a computer and then occasionally a human would take over.

I found it very soothing - not so much because I told it my innermost thoughts and feelings (I don't have that much trust), but because it was very distracting trying to figure out how it worked, where the loops were, etc.

Going to have to google now to see if it still exists.

computers are only as smart as the humans that make them, this is why those japanese guys & gals have names like 'Quad core, 8gb Ram'
No really though that's kind of spooky? I wonder what would happen if a super computer said that Mc Hammer was popular again would everyone accept it and start wearing parachute pants?

It all gets down to the data: garbage in = garbage out.

If there is sufficient research & data to determine what people like for a specific item/niche, and it can be quantified mathematically - then, its reasonable to assume a computer would be able to extrapolate probable things that people would like.

Swings and roundabouts enit, everything comes in and goes out.

Such a true statement, number of times you hear people moaning about dodgy results a computer pumps out, or another govt system churning out the wrong data and costing the tax payer another billion...

crap in, crap out