Replace Humans or Work with Them? | Alonso Vera | Talks at Google

Abstract Machine intelligence is improving rapidly based on advances in big data analytics, deep learning algorithms, autonomous vehicles, internet-of-things, and continuing exponential growth in computing power (Moore’s Law). This talk addresses the nature human expertise in this context, arguing that although machine intelligence is starting to yield content that is similar to human expertise (e.g., natural language translation, Watson on Jeopardy), the way that the content is arrived at is different and therefore the ways those capabilities will continue to evolve are different. The design and development of advanced planning and scheduling tools for rover missions to Mars and planning of crew activity on the International Space Station are discussed as a specific example of the interactive nature of human and machine expertise.

Dr. Alonso Vera has been at Ames Research Center for 15 years and is currently Chief of the Human Systems Integration Division. His expertise is in human-computer interaction, info systems, artificial intelligence, and computational human performance modeling. He has led the design, development and deployment of mission software systems across NASA robotic and human space flight missions, including Mars Exploration Rovers, Phoenix Mars Lander, ISS, Constellation, and Exploration Systems. Vera has a BS with First Class Honors from McGill and a Ph.D. from Cornell. He went on to a Post-Doc Fellowship in CS at Carnegie Mellon.