Remember Iron Man’s virtual AI assistant Jarvis, who was instrumental in making Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark one of the most popular superheroes in recent movie history? A China-based AI scientist has developed the world’s first AI entity that closely resembles the iconic virtual assistant in intellect and emotions.
The only difference here is that while MCU’s Jarvis powered Tony Stark’s entire house and, more importantly, helped him control the Iron Man suit, the real-world Jarvis is an AI entity formed based on the characteristics of a young girl, and hence has been named, Tong Tong, or Little Girl.
Developed by the Beijing Institute for General Artificial Intelligence (BIGAI), Tong Tong was unveiled at the Frontiers of General Artificial Intelligence Technology Exhibition held in Beijing.
Tong Tong, meaning Little Girl in English, showcased advanced capabilities at the exhibition. Unlike traditional large language models in AI, Tong Tong can assign tasks to herself independently, as per a report by the South China Morning Post.
During interactions, she demonstrated problem-solving skills, such as fixing a crooked picture frame, reaching high places using a stool, and cleaning up the spilled milk. Her ability to interpret human intentions and perform tasks autonomously sets her apart.
The AI entity is designed for autonomous learning and is said to have emotions such as joy, anger, and sorrow. Tong is described as possessing a mind, striving to understand common sense taught by humans, discerning right from wrong, expressing attitudes in various situations, and having the power to shape the future.
Regarding general artificial intelligence standards, Tong Tong’s characteristics align with those of a three or four-year-old child. She can continuously enhance her skills, knowledge, and values through exploration and human interaction.
The aim is to create AI entities with physical and social common sense akin to humans, capable of comprehending the natural world and defining new tasks autonomously.
BIGAI director Zhu Songchun, a renowned scholar in AI, highlighted the significance of advancing towards general artificial intelligence by creating entities with a wide range of skills and the ability to comprehend the real world.
The exhibition also featured the Tong Test, a comprehensive AI testing platform that Zhu developed that assesses five dimensions: vision, language, cognition, motion, and learning.
The Tong Test incorporates a value system encompassing physiological, survival, emotional, and social values, providing a complete testing regime for the development of general artificial intelligence.
Zhu emphasized that the Tong Test’s focus on practical abilities and values aims to guide general AI in learning and improving capabilities more effectively and safely, ensuring it serves human society better. The development of Tong Tong and the Tong Test signifies a significant step forward in pursuing AI that can seamlessly integrate into human environments.
