Definition
Moravec’s Paradox is the discovery by AI and robotics researchers that high-level reasoning requires very little computation, but low-level sensorimotor skills require enormous computational resources. It is famously summarized by Hans Moravec: “It is comparatively easy to make computers exhibit adult-level performance on intelligence tests or playing checkers, and difficult or impossible to give them the skills of a one-year-old when it comes to perception and mobility.”
Why It Matters
The paradox explains why ‘hard’ cognitive tasks are easy for AI, while ‘easy’ sensory-motor tasks are hard. Ignoring this leads to a massive misallocation of R&D effort and a failure to appreciate the incredible complexity of human physical intelligence.
Core Concepts
- Computational Inequality: Rote memorization and arithmetic are computationally simple but feel “hard” to humans. Hand-eye coordination and walking are computationally massive but feel “easy” because our brains have dedicated hardware for them.
- Evolutionary Hardware: Humans have hundreds of millions of years of evolutionary “R&D” optimizing the hardware and software for survival-critical tasks like object recognition and locomotion.
- Dedicated vs. General Processing: More than a quarter of the human brain is dedicated to sensorimotor tasks, creating an “illusion of simplicity” for the conscious mind.