Lillian Lee: Can Computers Really Understand What We Say?

With Siri on the iPhone and Watson beating human champions at Jeopardy, we now have machines that talk to us. But what is the nature of such "conversation," and what are its limitations? In this lecture, computer scientist Lillian Lee introduces the science behind the technology and the challenges that still lie ahead. Lillian Lee's research has received numerous awards and mentions in the popular press, including The New York Times, NPR's All Things Considered, and NBC's The Today Show. At Cornell, she has received the Stephen and Marilyn Miles Excellence in Teaching Award, the James and Mary Tien Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Kendall S. Carpenter Memorial Advising Award.