Status Updates From How to Create a Mind: The S...

Hierarchical Hidden Markov Models and neural nets.

I had a low opinion of all the A.I. hype and then I discovered the freeware program "GNU Backgammon" which uses A.I. techniques to play the game backgammon. It taught me much and forced my game to a new level. However, there is - IMHO - an infinite gap between A.I. intelligence (which I admit may far outstrip human) and self-awareness leading to emotions and fear.

Oh boy, Kurzweil is having fun writing down his thoughts however unrelated they may be to the book's thesis. Good for a conversation, not that much for a book people pay for.