20Q

20Q is a project in Artificial Intelligence. The principle is that you think of something (either abstract or not) and then, the AI, on its website, asks you twenty questions like "Is it smaller than a loaf of bread?" or "Do you hold it when you use it?" You can answer these questions with: Yes, No, Unknown, Irrelevant, Sometimes, Maybe, Probably, Doubtful, Usually, Depends, Rarely or Partly.

After you answered the 20 questions (sometimes earlier) it takes a guess and you can say wether or not it is correct. If not, it asks some more questions and guesses again. In the end, the intention is that it develops in knowing the properties of random concrete and abstract objects and subjects. Every time the game is played, its knowledge is developing. This is what the site says about it:

"20Q.net is an experiment in artificial intelligence. The program is very simple but its behavior is complex. Everything that it knows and all questions that it asks were entered by people playing this game. 20Q.net is a learning system; the more it is played, the smarter it gets."

There also is a handheld electronic version.

External links

• Official Website