[monk_e_boy]

Could you even make AI smart without letting it access lots of information? Access in both directions, in and out. Keeping a baby in a dark, silent room wouldn't create a normal adult. An AI would need to experiment and make mistakes and learn, like every other intelligent being.

Maybe this whole argument is null.

[robogimp]

Its a good point, but lets assume that this AI is already past its infancy and that there is no limit to the information stored inside the box. For example the NSA has a nice little closed training ground containing all of the internet, lets give it that. I would assume it has access everything humans have ever committed to digital format up until it was turned on, plenty of info for Johnny 5 to form an opinion on humans and their weaknesses.

[monk_e_boy]

Interesting. I would imagine that strong AI will come from some university renting cloud processor time, rather than the NSA.

Only because if 10 groups are trying to build AI, only one of those 10 being the NSA, chances are the NSA won't be first. Sure, they may be second or third. But I suspect many people will get there at the same time -- most AI research is open.