Michael Wooldridge (computer scientist)

Michael John Wooldridge (born 26 August 1966) is a professor of computer science at the University of Oxford. His main research interests is in multi-agent systems, and in particular, in the computational theory aspects of rational action in systems composed of multiple self-interested agents. His work is characterised by the use of techniques from computational logic, game theory, and social choice theory.

Quotes

• We know of no path that will take us from where we are now, in terms of computing and AI technology, to the singularity.
• we have some components of intelligence but no idea how to build a system that integrates them
• I am delighted to be joining the Turing at such an exciting time", .
• I will be working with the Turing team to build up the Institute's portfolio in AI - not just in my own area, multi-agent systems, but AI more generally. We have a really exciting portfolio of activities in the pipeline, which will confirm the UK's place at the heart of the 21st century AI revolution.
• ‎There is this narrative out there, and it's a very popular narrative and it's very compelling which is that at some point machines are going to become as intelligent as human beings and then they can apply their intelligence to making themselves even smarter.
• The story is that it all spirals out of our control. And of course this is the plot of quite a lot of science fiction movies, notably Terminator. I love those movies just as much as anybody does. But it's deeply implausible, and I became frustrated with that narrative for all sorts of reasons, one of which is that that narrative, whenever it comes up in serious debate about where AI is going and what the risks are, there are real risks associated with AI. It tends to suck all the oxygen out of the room in the phrase that my colleague used. And it tends to dominate the conversation and distract us from things that we should really be talking about.