SAM

Sam

Sam is a program from Yale's AI lab which is able to read between the lines, and assume certain facts.

The Story:
John went to New York by bus. On the bus he talked to an old lady. When he left the bus, he thanked the driver. He took the subway to Leone's. On the subway his pocket was picked. He got off the train and entered Leone's. He had some lasagna. When the check came, he discovered he couldn't pay. The management told him he would have to wash dishes. When he left, he caught a bus to New Haven.

Sam's comprehension: (Sam's answers are in blue.)

Why did John go to New York?
Because John wanted to go to Leone's

How did John get to Leone's?
John took a bus to New York and then he took the subway to Leone's.

Did anything unusual happen on the bus?
I don't remember anything

Did anything unusual happen on the subway?
A thief picked John's pocket.

What did John order?
John ordered lasagna.

Did anything unusual happen at the restaurant?
John discovered that he could not pay the check and so he had to wash dishes.

Why couldn't John pay the check?
Because John didn't have any money.

Why didn't John have any money?
Because a thief picked John's pocket.

How did John get back to New Haven?
John went from Leone's by subway and then he went to New Haven by bus.

How was John able to take the bus to New Haven?
Probably he had a ticket.

Sam's logic is represented in frames. For this story Sam might use a restaurant frame, and a subway and bus frame. These frames spell out what events in order most likely would occur in situations. Sam is impressive, because it can draw conclusions from the story that are not specifically stated. Also, with the last response, Sam shows that he can make conjectures without information from the story, with the use of frames.