Google developing "common sense" search engine in new Zurich base

Google is enlarging its focus on artificial intelligences in their new European research centre in Zurich. The centre will aim to advance AI technology in various areas, including the intention to teach machines basic common sense.

The unit's head Emmanuel Mogenet believes that a lot of the tech company's products are already utilising the technology, including search, spam filters, as well as new developments such as Google Assiatnt and self-driving cars.

The centre will aim to advance AI technology in various areas

"We are very ambitious in terms of growth. The only limiting factor will be talent," he told journalists gathered in Zurich to hear more about Google's AI plans.

Mogenet compared the learning of a child to the learning of a computer. He says that it is advantageous for devices to have an inate sense of what is correct and what is not.

"A four-year-old child learns about the world through their senses so they know that cows don't fly without being told this. Computers need to understand some obvious things about the world so we want to build a common-sense database."

Mogenet says that it is advantageous for devices to have an inate sense of what is correct and what is not

Another main focus of the centre will be technology's relationship with language and how they communicate with humans.

"Google has always been in the business of natural language because that is how people search but we have never really understood the question. We have just matched keywords with content and rank that content smartly," he said.The next stage is to truly understand what people are asking," Mogenet said.

London-based Google team DeepMind is currently working on "solving intelligence". It recently was i the headlines for the wrong reasons after a collaboration with the NHS led to their access to healthcare data of millions of patients.