Tolkien test for Artificial Intelligence

The Tolkien test is a test of a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour equivalent to, or indistinguishable from, that of the human creative imagination. The test serves as a corollary to the Turing Test for Artificial Intelligence.

Criteria for AI creativity

The test was introduced by John Hartley in his 2024 3 Quarks Daily article "Forget Turing, it's the Tolkien test for AI that matters".^[1] Hartley applied what Andrew Pinsent termed 'the puzzle of useless creation'^[2] to the question of AI capability:

The Tolkien test for AI is whether it can 'create' genuinely original work that bears no correspondence to anything a human has ever sub-created, as an extension of the original creation act and ultimate expression of originality. To return to Pinsent's question concerning the justification for the creative imagination in a world of pragmatic materialism, could AI 'create' an entire family of imaginary languages for imaginary peoples in an imaginary world? And if it could, would anyone recognize it?^[3]

The original article was republished on Real Clear Science part of Real Clear Politics^[4] and Evolutions News and Science Today.^[5] Mind Matters published by the Walter Bradley Center for Natural and Artificial Intelligence summarized:

"Hartley also writes that intelligence is connected to having a soul that can transcend the material realm. AI, to the contrary, is limited in that regard. It can regurgitate but it can’t create. It can reflect verbiage but can never reflect on the substance or meaning of the words themselves."^[6]

References

^ Hartley, John (20 October 2024). "Forget Turing, it's the Tolkien test for AI that matters". 3 Quarks Daily.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
^ Pinsent, Andrew (2019). "God, Elvish, and Secondary Creation". European Journal for Philosophy of Religion. 11 (2): 191–204.
^ "Forget Turing, it's the Tolkien test for AI that matters - 3 Quarks Daily". 2024-10-20. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
^ Hartley, John (2024-10-21). "Forget Turing, It's the Tolkien Test for AI That Matters | RealClearScience". www.realclearscience.com. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
^ Biles, Peter (2024-11-02). "Putting AI to the "Tolkien Test": Could It Pass?". Evolution News. Retrieved 2024-11-07.
^ October 28, Peter Biles; Intelligence, 2024 3 Artificial; Arts; Culture (2024-10-28). "The Tolkien Test vs. the Turing Test". Mind Matters. Retrieved 2024-11-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

[1] Hartley, John (20 October 2024). "Forget Turing, it's the Tolkien test for AI that matters". 3 Quarks Daily.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

[2] Pinsent, Andrew (2019). "God, Elvish, and Secondary Creation". European Journal for Philosophy of Religion. 11 (2): 191–204.

[3] "Forget Turing, it's the Tolkien test for AI that matters - 3 Quarks Daily". 2024-10-20. Retrieved 2024-11-07.

[4] Hartley, John (2024-10-21). "Forget Turing, It's the Tolkien Test for AI That Matters | RealClearScience". www.realclearscience.com. Retrieved 2024-11-07.

[5] Biles, Peter (2024-11-02). "Putting AI to the "Tolkien Test": Could It Pass?". Evolution News. Retrieved 2024-11-07.

[6] October 28, Peter Biles; Intelligence, 2024 3 Artificial; Arts; Culture (2024-10-28). "The Tolkien Test vs. the Turing Test". Mind Matters. Retrieved 2024-11-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

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