Applied Knowledge & Innovation
British Computer Society Machine Intelligence Prize
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Awarded for demonstration of progress towards Machine Intelligence
Read the press releases for the competition proceedings for
Entries for the 2004 competition are now closed - Entries for the 2005 MI Prize will be open in February 2005.
New Scientist Article about the 2004 competition.
Organisers
Prof. Max Bramer (for SGAI) & Dr. John L. Gordon
(for AKRI)
Prize
A permanent trophy awarded for one year plus a cash prize.
Venue
The competition will be held during the annual SGAI conferences (AI-200x)
Judges
All registered delegates at AI-200x will be eligible to vote in a secret
ballot. The competitor receiving most votes will be the winner.
Eligibility
The competition is open to all. A maximum of 5 entries will be presented.
To control numbers, these will be selected by the organisers on the basis
of information provided by the entrants.
Entry Fee
There is no entry fee but competitors will be asked to meet their own costs.
Background
During the after dinner talk at ES2000, Rick Magaldi from
British Airways discussed the progress of Machine Intelligence in terms of
the progress of human flight. Flight has been mastered in a way not yet paralleled
by the emergence of machine intelligence. At one point Rick discussed one
of the significant developments in the desire to fly as being when learned
people started to confidently but usually disastrously, throw themselves off
buildings. The consensus at ES2000 was that within AI, we have not really
got to the stage where we are throwing ourselves off buildings.This is about
to change. The SGAI (with AKRI) have decided to give people an opportunity
to hurl themselves into the void, risking public ridicule and career stagnation
to show what they have really achieved in the development of Machine Intelligence.This
competition will put on show, real systems working in real time. It is hoped
that the competition and the competitors, over several years, will provide
a new interest and visible improvements in the development of machine intelligence.
The competition will rely on people being open about developments, no matter
how small these may appear. It will also serve as an opportunity to see what
others can achieve and could prove a valuable source of ideas.
Format
- The prize will be awarded on the basis of a 10-15 minute live demonstration
(not a paper, not a technical description).
- The demonstration can be of either software (e.g. a question-answering
system or a speech recognition system) or hardware (e.g. a mobile robot).
- Equipment may be used either standalone or in conjunction with telephone,
satellite link, Internet link etc. as competitors prefer.
- The organisers will provide only a room with a PC plus projector and
an Internet link.
- Competitors may provide any other equipment they require, at their own
expense. The only restriction is that the demonstration has to be given
in the specified location.
- The prize will be awarded to the demonstration that in the opinion of
the judges best demonstrates 'progress towards an intelligent machine'.
Prize Presentation
The prize winner will be invited to attend the AI-200x conference dinner
as the guest of SGAI. The prize will be awarded during the dinner.
Rules
- Entries must reflect genuine progress towards machine intelligence
- Entries must be demonstrated live at the AI-200x conference
- Demonstrations may be physical systems brought to the conference or demonstrations
over a live link to the conference. The responsibility for maintaining the
link will be with the demonstrator.
- Presentations may be preceded by a short introduction.
- Presenters will not be allowed to disclose the AI or other technology
used in the system but will be allowed to state what function or activity
the system will perform during the demonstration.
- Demonstrations must be carried out on a floor area no larger than 3m
x 4m (this will probably be a stage area at the conference).
- Commercial products are acceptable as entries as long as the demonstrators
own the IPR to the system or have the permission of the owners to demonstrate
it within the competition context.
- A winning entry may not be entered in an unaltered state, for the same
competition in later years.
- Entries will be judged by the AI-200x conference delegates.
- Presenters are responsible for the security and safety of their demonstrations.
Conference organisers will however, try to assist in the provision of storage
and set up areas for demonstrations.
- The competition will run each year during the annual SGAI conference
provided that 3 or more finalists are available.
- The SGAI and AKRI reserve the right to make changes to these rules.
Closing Date for Entries
The closing date is October 1st 2005. However,
early entry is strongly advised. Early entries will
benefit from constructive feedback from the review
panel.
Contact
Prof. Max Bramer (Chairman, SGAI)
Dr. John L. Gordon (Director, AKRI) - john@akri.org
