By Thomas B. Fowler, Catholic Culture - Why does AI fail so spectacularly? To answer this question, we must look at how computers operate, and how that limits what they can do. In order to do things that manifest “intelligence”, any AI system has to be based on a paradigm of knowing. That is, how does the computer “know” about its task or subject?... This is something about which AI engineers and theorists do not think, because there isn’t much choice. AI is perforce based on algorithmic processes that utilize inputs (data or sensors) and output instructions or text.