Computer talks like a toddler

A computerised toddler could soon let us talk to our computers and do away with keyboards for good, say its creators.

The toddler called Hal is an artificial intelligence program that can understand everyday language. It was developed by Artificial Intelligence Enterprises (Ai), an Israeli company that claims that its program has the vocabulary and grasp of language of a 15 month old child.

Hal gets its ability to converse by being trained by a “carer” who feeds in stories and responds to questions, as if …