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A virtual child controlled by artificially intelligent software has passed a cognitive test regarded as a major milestone in human development. It could lead to smarter computer games able to predict human players' state of mind. Children typically master the "false belief test" at age 4 or 5. It tests their ability to realise that the beliefs of others can differ from their own, and from reality. The creators of the new character – which they called Eddie – say passing the test shows it can reason about the beliefs of others, using a rudimentary "theory of mind".

John Laird, a researcher in computer games and Artificial Intelligence (AI) at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, is not overly impressed. "It's not that challenging to get an AI system to do theory of mind," he says.

More impressive demonstration, says Laird, would be a character, initially unable to pass the test, that learned how to do so – just as humans do.

Dale und sein Team interessierte dabei, wie sich die Bewegungscharakteristika veränderten, wenn Menschen lernen. Dazu ließen sie die Teilnehmer ihnen anfangs nicht vertraute Symbole zu Paaren ordnen. Dabei fanden sie heraus, dass der Lernerfolg der Teilnehmer sich auch körperlich niederschlug: Je vertrauter die Probanden mit ihrer Aufgabe wurden, desto schneller, regelmäßiger und fester wurden ihre Bewegungen.

"The virtual world provides the body," said Dr Ben Goertzel, founder and head of Novamente.

"We have a pretty fully functioning animal brain right now and we are hooking it up to the different virtual worlds,"

"I'd really like to do virtual talking parrots," he said, "and then virtual babies.