Researchers build AI-driven sarcasm detector

Being able to detect lowest form of wit could help AI interact with people more naturally, say scientists

Researchers trained a neural network on text, audio and emotional content of video clips from US sitcoms including Friends. Picture: Jon Ragel/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Never mind that it can pass the bar exam, ace medical tests and read bedtime stories with emotion, artificial intelligence will never match the marvel of the human mind without first mastering the art of sarcasm.

But that art, it seems, may be next on the list of the technology’s dizzying capabilities.