&gt; What do we want? Make some scifi become real? No, we just want helpful machines.<p>I think you underestimate the desire for mankind to create something that resembles itself.  It&#x27;s a very old myth, and IIRC some traces of it can be found as far away as in Greek mythology.  And it can be found here and there towards modern times, from Frankenstein to Metropolis or Terminator. There&#x27;s a reason why Science-Fiction is such a significant portion of modern literature and why this theme is a major part of it.  It has a powerful appeal.<p>You say we want helpful machines, but how many of the machines we create are more toys than tools?   Even a machine that would be as smart as a dog would probably be extremely lucrative as it would be sold as a pet.  Slightly more intelligent it would be used as a domestic helper or a companion.<p>I would even go as far as saying that for some people, the ultimate goal of AI is to replace the human body, including the brain, by artificial counterparts that would free them from the pitfalls of a biological existence.