Perspectives on Fifth Generation Computing
Brian R. Gaines · 2004
In 1981 the Japanese announced a program of research on a fifth generation of computing systems (FGCS) that will integrate advances in very large scale integration, data base systems, artificial intelligence, and the human computer interface into a new range of computers that are closer to people in their communication and knowledge processing capabilities. The proposal was a shock at first but Western research quickly reoriented to match the Japanese program. This paper considers fifth generation computing from a wide range of perspectives in order to understand the logic behind the program, its chances of success, and its technical and social impact. The need for a consumer market for mass-produced powerful integrated circuits is shown to underlie the Japanese objectives. The project is placed in a historical perspective of work in computer science and related to the preceding generations of computers. The main projects in the Japanese program are summarized and discussed in relation to similar research elsewhere. The social implications of fifth generation developments are discussed and it is suggested that they grow out of society’s needs. The role of fifth generation computers in providing a new medium for communication is analyzed. Finally, the basis for a Western response to the Japanese program is summarized.