
Magic tricks created using artificial intelligence - cryptoz
http://scienceblog.com/75358/magic-tricks-created-using-artificial-intelligence-first-time/#5JWJjypPfkqJs2vO.97
======
AndyNemmity
I'm a magician, and it's one of my biggest passions in life.

This is being reported in many publications as the first time artificial
intelligence has been used to create a magic trick. This is false, not only
has it been done by others before, it has been done by this team at Queen's
Mary University before. Saying it's the first time certainly makes it more
news worthy though.

Edit 1: If I were communicating this to someone else, I would say that they
used analysis to create a new method, not a new trick. It's a new method, if
it's really new, I haven't validated that in magic, and the vast majority of
time any method you have isn't new. But perhaps it is, I will take that at
face value for now.

Edit 2: "we suspected that audiences would be suspicious of the involvement of
technology in the delivery of a trick but we’ve found out that isn’t the
case."

Audiences are suspicious of the involvement of a phone during a trick. This is
a minor contention, but their quote is flat out wrong. It would be interesting
to see why they came to this conclusion.

Edit 3: Here is a video for the main trick discussed, "Phoney". Apologies for
the misc intro, this was the best version I could find.

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5qWi3yeu0M](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5qWi3yeu0M)

Edit 4: Analysis of the method of the trick -

The captions say the cards are shuffled, but they aren't. They can only be
cut. From there you deal 6 cards, and ask the spectator in order to tell if
you if they are red and black. From there, you can determine the card.

Edit 5: And for my last trick, I found this method isn't even new, I can see
it published by Persi Diaconis -
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persi_Diaconis](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persi_Diaconis)

Edit 6: As with any method, I might find a significantly earlier providence
for the method, but I'm still looking for my own sake.

~~~
nkurz
For Edit 3, I think you might have included the wrong link. That's a very
short video that shows only the setup of the trick. Maybe this one would be
better?
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hHgEa0CAdU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hHgEa0CAdU)

And while we're at it, is there any reason the videos emphasize the flip to
show the face of the cards as they are being laid out? If they are going to do
this, it seems like a much simpler and direct way to do the trick.

~~~
AndyNemmity
Re: Edit 3 - Thanks. I was trying to show one where the text was readable. I
think both work, as far as I can tell.

The video is actually the worst way I've seen to perform this method/trick.
The flip is actually unnecessary, as is even asking for the color of each
individual card.

I really would like to continue further, but I already feel bad about any
exposure I've included.

------
aartur
Is it AI? They had to formalize a problem and define what a "trick" is. So the
problem becomes a search for a solution in a space of possibilities. If the
space is small then brute-force search will find all the solutions. I don't
think this kind of approach has anything to do with AI. Of course if the space
to search is large then genetic algorithms or other AI solutions can be used
and we can say it's AI...

Looks like "AI" is a cool term nowadays and it's hijacking the more basic
notion of formalizing a problem and using a computer.

~~~
AndyNemmity
At the moment, I can't find anything they've added to a known card trick. Let
alone how it was AI.

------
PaulHoule
Yep. Systems that construct narratives like that can be entertaining.
Performance and presentation of self are key skills for a chatterbot on the
right side of the uncanny valley. (I.e. we can make an actor that plays Jarvis
before we make Jarvis.)

------
nocivus
Its last trick will be to make us all disappear :D

