Whether its testing social scenarios or operating a billionaire's abode, it seems we've only just scratched the surface of what artificial intelligence can do.
With that in mind, Google's latest trick in machine learning is not quite yet out of a science fiction novel, but certainly something intriguing: an AI that adds accompaniment to your piano playing.
Built on artificial neural networks more than old-fashioned programming, Google coder/musician Yotam Mann unveiled his open-source "AI Duet" late last year, according to VentureBeat (opens in new tab).
Now, the piano-inclined bot is playable on both desktop and mobile browsers (opens in new tab), allowing just about anyone to try their hand at tickling the digital ivories with AI backup using only a keyboard or touchscreen.
Whenever a user plays a little ditty on the AI Duet's piano, the program plays back a response with its own spin on it.
This ability is bolstered by an open-source library of audio created by Mann and Magenta - a Google-powered machine learning infrastructure designed with art and music in mind.
While interpreting and embellishing musical notes is humanizing to say the least, AI Duet isn't the only Google-backed neural network project that loves the arts. The Big G has reportedly used romance novels to teach its AI more natural conversation skills.
- Google also has an AI that's a virtuoso in the ancient game of Go
