Synthetic Expertise

TL;DR

This paper discusses how artificial systems can collaborate with humans to form ensembles of expertise, enhancing cognitive abilities and democratizing access to specialized knowledge through cognitive augmentation levels.

Contribution

It introduces six Levels of Cognitive Augmentation and explores how human-cog ensembles can democratize expertise and transform society.

Findings

Introduction of six Levels of Cognitive Augmentation

Potential for widespread democratization of expertise

Enhanced human-cog collaboration capabilities

Abstract

We will soon be surrounded by artificial systems capable of cognitive performance rivaling or exceeding a human expert in specific domains of discourse. However, these cogs need not be capable of full general artificial intelligence nor able to function in a stand-alone manner. Instead, cogs and humans will work together in collaboration each compensating for the weaknesses of the other and together achieve synthetic expertise as an ensemble. This paper reviews the nature of expertise, the Expertise Level to describe the skills required of an expert, and knowledge stores required by an expert. By collaboration, cogs augment human cognitive ability in a human/cog ensemble. This paper introduces six Levels of Cognitive Augmentation to describe the balance of cognitive processing in the human/cog ensemble. Because these cogs will be available to the mass market via common devices and inexpensive applications, they will lead to the Democratization of Expertise and a new cognitive systems era promising to change how we live, work, and play. The future will belong to those best able to communicate, coordinate, and collaborate with cognitive systems.