From Star Trek to Siri: How the Machine-Reading Revolution will dictate the future

Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen and entrepreneur Oren Etzioni, Special to CNN
Updated 4:09 AM EST, Wed December 11, 2013
IBM's Watson system defeated the human champion on "Jeopardy!" in February 2011, surprising the world. Now, a "Machine-Reading Revolution" is underway.
The revolution now underway —
IBM's Watson system defeated the human champion on "Jeopardy!" in February 2011, surprising the world. Now, a "Machine-Reading Revolution" is underway.
Getty Images
Google Glass may seem futuristic now, but could soon be used in everyday life. It has a miniature projector, touch controls and voice commands that sit on your eyes and ears like glasses. That setup allows wearers to interact and engage with information and the world around them without having to pull out a phone.
The revolution now underway —
Google Glass may seem futuristic now, but could soon be used in everyday life. It has a miniature projector, touch controls and voice commands that sit on your eyes and ears like glasses. That setup allows wearers to interact and engage with information and the world around them without having to pull out a phone.
AFP/Getty Images
Here, an attendee uses Google Glass during the White House Youth Summit at the White House. U.S. President Barack Obama was speaking to the group about healthcare.
The revolution now underway —
Here, an attendee uses Google Glass during the White House Youth Summit at the White House. U.S. President Barack Obama was speaking to the group about healthcare.
AFP/Getty Images
Google Now is a personal assistant which delivers customized information it predicts you will want, such as the weather, traffic conditions and the performance of your favorite sports team.
The revolution now underway —
Google Now is a personal assistant which delivers customized information it predicts you will want, such as the weather, traffic conditions and the performance of your favorite sports team.
Google
Siri's voice recognition technology was seen as a first step to creating a highly personalized assistant. The questions answerable by such technology is expected to explode, with answers automatically extracted and synthesized from news, web pages, and tweets.
The revolution now underway —
Siri's voice recognition technology was seen as a first step to creating a highly personalized assistant. The questions answerable by such technology is expected to explode, with answers automatically extracted and synthesized from news, web pages, and tweets.
Oli Scarff/Getty Images
The developers at Apple baked some wit into Siri's otherwise robotic responses -- but could we be headed to a future where technology can provide a more technical answer to this question?
The revolution now underway —
The developers at Apple baked some wit into Siri's otherwise robotic responses -- but could we be headed to a future where technology can provide a more technical answer to this question?
Stewart Scott-Curran/CNN
The Machine-Reading Revolution

Editor’s Note: Philanthropist and investor Paul G. Allen is the Chairman of Vulcan Inc., founder of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and co-founder of Microsoft. Oren Etzioni is the Executive Director of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Seattle. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Paul G. Allen and. Oren Etzioni.

Story highlights

IBM's Watson system defeated the human champion on "Jeopardy!" in February 2011 -- surprising the world

But that feat was a precursor to what is being called a "Machine-Reading Revolution," which is underway now

Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen and entrepreneur Oren Etzioni reveal five ways it will change how you live

They say it will impact on how we find a hotel, follow our favorite sports team and receive medical advice

CNN  — 

When IBM’s Watson system defeated the human champion on “Jeopardy!” in February 2011, it surprised the world with its unprecedented command of a vast array of facts, puns, and clever questions.

But how will that feat change our lives over the next decade? What does it mean for the future of intelligent machines?