Andrew Goodwin: AI - to boldly go where no adviser has gone before…

Shop around the numerous sci-fi-centric, retro-themed channels that nowadays populate TV schedules and you'll very likely stumble across the original Star Trek. One thing that's especially striking about the series today is how many episodes revolve around artificial intelligence (AI).  Maybe the most celebrated is The Ultimate Computer, in which the USS Enterprise is equipped with an M-5 Multitronic Unit – a state-of-the-art system tipped to replace most of the crew. Here, as is customary in every instalment of this ilk, AI is portrayed as somewhat less than perfect. The M-5 misinter...