The SP theory of intelligence: benefits and applications

This article describes existing and expected benefits of the "SP theory of intelligence", and some potential applications. The theory aims to simplify and integrate ideas across artificial intelligence, mainstream computing, and human perception and cognition, with information compression as a unifying theme. It combines conceptual simplicity with descriptive and explanatory power across several areas of computing and cognition. In the "SP machine" -- an expression of the SP theory which is currently realised in the form of a computer model -- there is potential for an overall simplification of computing systems, including software. The SP theory promises deeper insights and better solutions in several areas of application, including natural language processing, autonomous robots, computer vision, intelligent databases, structuring of documents, software engineering, information compression, the economical transmission of data, big data, the semantic web, medical diagnosis, the detection of computer viruses, data fusion, and new kinds of computer. The theory promises seamless integration of structures and functions within and between different areas of application. The potential value, worldwide, of these benefits and applications is $190 billion each year. Further research would be facilitated by the creation of a high-parallel, open-source version of the SP machine, accessible via the web.$