Wolfram Alpha

[Begbie]

New AI Knowledge based search engine

The biggest internet revolution for a generation will be unveiled this month with the launch of software that will understand questions and give specific, tailored answers in a way that the web has never managed before.

The new system, Wolfram Alpha, showcased at Harvard University in the US last week, takes the first step towards what many consider to be the internet's Holy Grail – a global store of information that understands and responds to ordinary language in the same way a person does.

Although the system is still new, it has already produced massive interest and excitement among technology pundits and internet watchers.

Computer experts believe the new search engine will be an evolutionary leap in the development of the internet. Nova Spivack, an internet and computer expert, said that Wolfram Alpha could prove just as important as Google. "It is really impressive and significant," he wrote. "In fact it may be as important for the web (and the world) as Google, but for a different purpose.

Tom Simpson, of the blog Convergenceofeverything.com, said: "What are the wider implications exactly? A new paradigm for using computers and the web? Probably. Emerging artificial intelligence and a step towards a self-organising internet? Possibly... I think this could be big."

Wolfram Alpha will not only give a straight answer to questions such as "how high is Mount Everest?", but it will also produce a neat page of related information – all properly sourced – such as geographical location and nearby towns, and other mountains, complete with graphs and charts.

The real innovation, however, is in its ability to work things out "on the fly", according to its British inventor, Dr Stephen Wolfram. If you ask it to compare the height of Mount Everest to the length of the Golden Gate Bridge, it will tell you. Or ask what the weather was like in London on the day John F Kennedy was assassinated, it will cross-check and provide the answer. Ask it about D sharp major, it will play the scale. Type in "10 flips for four heads" and it will guess that you need to know the probability of coin-tossing. If you want to know when the next solar eclipse over Chicago is, or the exact current location of the International Space Station, it can work it out.


An invention that could change the internet for ever - News, Gadgets & Tech - The Independent


Wolfram|Alpha

The downside could be that it will "prove" any goofy statement you type in by dredging up "facts" and "sources". Release date "later this month".

[mediamanbkk]

I am hoping that it is more than a refined "Ask Jeeves"?

[Agent_Smith]

Sounds like Skynet. Anyone seen John Conner hanging about?

[melvbot]

Theres the odd plugin/hack knocking around to get Google and Wolframs results next to each other already. This site just does it for you

Goofram - Search Google and Wolfram Alpha at the same time!

[slackula]

I used it to calculate the number of calories in a cubic light year of ice cream (1.36x10^54 in case you were wondering).

A cubic light year of ice cream also contains 67,901,185,568,580,310,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 ,000,000,000,000,000.0% of your RDA and 3.4x10^49 kg of saturated fat yet only 4.596x10^47 kg of trans fat.

On a more positive note it also contains in the region 1.31x10^45 metric tons of calcium depending on which flavour is chosen so you are probably going to greatly reduce your chances of developing osteoporosis if you consume it.

Unfortunately it also contains 2.136x10^47 kg of cholesterol and 5.756x10^47 kg of sodium so eating it will leave you with a heart that is so shriveled and atrophied it will look like Dick Cheney's, however this minor drawback is somewhat mitigated by the presence of 1.54x10^45 kg of riboflavin, 1.16x10^45 kg niacin and 2.95x10^42 kg of folic acid, thought to be an effective anti-oxidant.

Further positive benefits include 4.1x10^45 kg of zinc (so you won't rust), 9.8x10^42 kg of the important nutrient vitamin K and 2.07x10^45 kg of vitamin E so you are going to have a wonderful complexion and great hair (think Rod Blagojevich great hair).

Before you reach for the phone to order your cubic light year of tasty, yet nutritious ice cream be advised that you are going to need a bowl with a capacity of at least 8.5x10^50 liters (a little less for chocolate as it is slightly denser), and your dining table should be capable of supporting a mass of 7.7x10^50 kg (plus your spoon).

Sadly since (again according to Wolfram Alpha) the mass of the Earth is approximately 5.9742x10^24 kg you are going to need a bigger planet to support your dining table (plus your spoon, unless you do not plan on placing your spoon on the table. It is a matter of personal choice, but I always like my spoon on the table, preferably to the left of the bowl but above the bowl is also a common placement in lower class establishments).

Please note that it is important to consult your physician or health care provider before making dietary changes such as trying to consume a cubic light year of ice cream and this information is provided without warranty and therefore YMMV.

[melvbot]

i tried something slightly less scientific

melvbot. How long is a piece of string?

wolfram. It's OK; I don't know either.

Melvbot. How many fingers am I holding up?

wolfram. Interval[{0,10}] (most likely)

[slackula]

i tried something slightly less scientific

melvbot. How long is a piece of string?

wolfram. It's OK; I don't know either.

Melvbot. How many fingers am I holding up?

wolfram. Interval[{0,10}] (most likely)

Yeah, but it was fun doing it and I need to inflate my post count so I can see the other stuff. Sorry.

[watterinja]

Wolfram|Alpha isn't sure what to do with your input

A very re-assuring first attempt...

[watterinja]

^ Friggin' thing is useless... Doesn't have an answer for any question I have... Google is up in seconds, this rubbish thinks & then tells me it don't know diddly-squat.

Wolfram should have stuck to his mathematics...

Pass...

[Muadib]

I asked it a simple question and not only did it not know the answer, but it caused Firefox to lock up and I had to kill the app in Taskman...

Q: what is the relationship between Jupiter and Styrofoam...

A: Wolfram Alpha does not know how to handle your question...

[lovethai]

i tried it aswell: didnt get 1 question answered. on the other hand, google got me results every time. still a long way for wolfram it seems ...