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␈↓␈↓↓␈↓α␈↓β␈↓∧␈↓∂␈β↓↓␈↓∂S␈↓α
␈↓ ↓H
␈β↓Q␈↓ ¬	STANFORD UNIVERSITY
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓β␈↓ ¬_STANFORD, CALIFORNIA 94305
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓∧
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE LABORATORY␈↓ 
+   Telephone:
␈↓ ↓H
COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT␈↓ 
+415-497-4430
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓␈↓ ¬d5 November 1974
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
Dear Colleagues:
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_At␈α
3IJCAI␈α
I␈α
was␈α
asked␈α
to␈α
prepare␈α
a␈α
plan␈α
for␈αconverting␈αthe␈αcommittee␈αinto␈αan␈αinternational
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓HAI␈α
organization␈α
for␈α
consideration␈α
at␈α
the␈α
next␈α
meeting␈α
which␈α
will␈αbe␈αheld␈αin␈αTbilisi.␈αThere␈αwas␈αno
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hsolid␈α
commitment␈α
to␈α
formalize␈α
an␈α
organization,␈α
but␈α
it␈α
seems␈α
to␈α
me␈α
that␈α
the␈αconsensus␈αincluded␈αthe
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hfollowing␈α
points:
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_1.␈α⊗It␈α⊗would␈α⊗be␈α⊗an␈α⊗organization␈α⊗of␈α⊗individuals␈α∃and␈α∃not␈α∃representatives␈α∃of␈α∃societies␈α∃or
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hgovernments.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_2.␈α∩If␈α∩formed␈α∩it␈α∩would␈α∩take␈α∩over␈α∩the␈α∩IJCAIs␈α∩and␈α∩probably␈α∩the␈α⊃AI␈α⊃journal␈α⊃assuming␈α⊃the
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Heditorial␈α
board␈α
was␈α
agreeable.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_3.␈α∞It␈α∞would␈α∞do␈α∞what␈α∞else␈α
it␈α
could␈α
to␈α
advance␈α
the␈α
field,␈α
but␈α
there␈α
were␈α
no␈α
strongly␈α
expressed
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hproposals␈α
of␈α
what␈α
this␈α
might␈α
be.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_It␈α
seems␈α
to␈α
me␈α
that␈α
the␈α
following␈α
additional␈α
considerations␈α
apply:
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_1.␈α∂An␈α∂organization␈α∂of␈α∂this␈α∂kind␈α∂could␈α∂probably␈α∂have␈α∞an␈α∞income␈α∞of␈α∞about␈α∞$10,000␈α∞per␈α∞year
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hfrom␈α
membership␈α
dues␈α
and␈α
leftovers␈α
from␈α
conferences.␈α
This␈α
is␈α
not␈αenough␈αfor␈αeven␈αone␈αemployee,
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hand␈α
there␈α
is␈α
no␈α
present␈α
reason␈α
why␈α
it␈α
would␈α
be␈α
desirable␈α
to␈α
have␈α
a␈α
headquarters␈α
and␈α
an␈α
employee.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_2.␈α∃International␈α∃expenditures␈α∃on␈α∃AI␈α∃may␈α∃be␈α∃about␈α∀$10,000,000␈α∀per␈α∀year␈α∀depending␈α∀on
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hdefinitions,␈αso␈αthe␈αAI␈αSociety's␈αmoney␈α
should␈α
not␈α
be␈α
spent␈α
on␈α
research.␈α
It␈α
might␈α
be␈α
spent␈α
on␈α
prizes␈α
or
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hfellowships,␈α
but␈α
there␈α
has␈α
not␈α
recently␈α
been␈α
any␈α
single␈α
piece␈α
of␈α
research␈α
that␈α
merits␈α
a␈α
large␈α
prize,␈α
and
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hwe␈α∞shouldn't␈α∞do␈α∞it␈α∞just␈α∞to␈α∞get␈α∞publicity,␈α∞because␈α∞publicity␈α∞␈↓↓per␈α∞se␈↓␈α∞is␈α∞not␈α∞of␈α∞obvious␈α∞value.␈α∞I␈α∞would
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hfavor␈α⊃giving␈α⊃a␈α⊃prize␈α⊃on␈α⊃an␈α⊃␈↓↓ad␈α⊃hoc␈↓␈α⊃basis␈α⊃if␈α⊃something␈α⊃sufficiently␈α⊂admirable␈α⊂came␈α⊂up␈α⊂before␈α⊂a
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hmeeting␈α
and␈α
there␈α
was␈α
no␈α
conflict␈α
of␈αinterest␈αsituation.␈αTherefore,␈αI␈αthink␈αthe␈αgoverning␈αcommittee
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hshould␈αhave␈αadvance␈αauthorization␈αto␈αaward␈αa␈αprize␈αbut␈αno␈α
commitment␈α
to␈α
do␈α
so␈α
and␈α
no␈α
stipulation
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Has␈α
to␈α
the␈α
amount.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_3.␈α
An␈α
obviously␈α
good␈α
function␈α
of␈α
the␈α
organization␈α
would␈αbe␈αto␈αmaintain␈αa␈αmailing␈αlist.␈αThis
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hcould␈α
be␈α
used␈α
both␈α
as␈α
a␈α
reference␈α
for␈α
finding␈α
individuals␈α
and␈α
by␈α
organizations␈α
with␈α
something␈αto
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hsell.␈α
(I␈α
don't␈α
think␈α
we␈α
will␈α
be␈α
flooded␈α
with␈α
insurance␈α
brochures,␈α
but␈α
there␈α
might␈α
be␈α
useful␈α
book␈α
ads.)
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_4.␈α
A␈α
journal␈α
publishing␈αsubmitted␈αabstracts␈αof␈αreports␈αand␈αpublications␈αmight␈αbe␈αmaintained
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hpreferably␈αin␈αco-operation␈α
with␈α
an␈α
institution␈α
with␈α
a␈α
computer␈α
suitable␈α
for␈α
maintaining␈α
the␈α
necessary
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hfiles␈αand␈αallowing␈αon-line␈αaccess.␈α
It␈α
might␈α
also␈α
take␈α
orders␈α
for␈α
reports,␈α
although␈α
for␈α
U.S.␈α
users␈α
of␈α
U.S.
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hreports,␈α
the␈α
National␈α
Technical␈α
Information␈α
Service␈α
does␈α
the␈α
job␈α
well␈α
enough.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_5.␈α⊃The␈α⊃organization␈α⊃might␈α⊃publish␈α⊃a␈α⊃bulletin,␈α⊃but␈α⊃it␈α⊃seems␈α⊂more␈α⊂reasonable␈α⊂to␈α⊂encourage
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hinternational␈α
membership␈α
in␈α
SIGART␈α
at␈α
present.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_6.␈α⊂If␈α⊂an␈α⊂organization␈α⊂is␈α⊂formed,␈α⊂it␈α⊂should␈α∂meet␈α∂rarely,␈α∂and␈α∂no-one␈α∂should␈α∂be␈α∂trapped␈α∂into
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hmaking␈α∂it␈α∂his␈α∂main␈α∂professional␈α∂activity.␈α∂Still␈α∞worse␈α∞would␈α∞be␈α∞having␈α∞several␈α∞people␈α∞whose␈α∞main
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hactivity␈α
was␈α
jockeying␈α
for␈α
power␈α
in␈α
it.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_7.␈α⊃At␈α⊃present␈α⊃the␈α⊃IJCAIs␈α⊃are␈α⊃being␈α⊃handled␈α⊃by␈α⊃ad␈α⊃hoc␈α⊃committees␈α⊃formed␈α⊂by␈α⊂volunteers
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hpresent␈α⊂at␈α⊂the␈α∂previous␈α∂IJCAIs.␈α∂Co-ordination␈α∂is␈α∂achieved␈α∂by␈α∂having␈α∂a␈α∂general␈α∂chairman␈α∂of␈α∂the
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hconference␈α∞with␈α∞full␈α
authority␈α
to␈α
set␈α
all␈α
arrangements␈α
and␈α
even␈α
to␈α
change␈α
the␈α
location␈α
of␈α
the␈α
next
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hmeeting.␈α
As␈α
long␈α
as␈α
this␈α
system␈α
works␈αat␈αall,␈αit␈αdoes␈αso␈αwith␈αa␈αminimum␈αof␈αtotal␈αeffort.␈αUp␈αto␈αnow,
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hthe␈αarrangements␈αfor␈αthe␈αconference␈αhave␈αbeen␈αadequate␈αand␈αthe␈αpapers␈αhave␈αbeen␈αreasonably␈αwell
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hchosen.␈αUnder␈αthese␈αconditions,␈αwhat␈αthe␈αparticipants␈αget␈αfrom␈αthe␈αconference␈αis␈αlimited␈αby␈αthe␈αstate
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hof␈α∩AI␈α∩research␈α∩which␈α∩determines␈α∩how␈α∩good␈α∩the␈α∩papers␈α∩will␈α∩be␈α∩rather␈α∩than␈α∩by␈α⊃the␈α⊃conference
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Harrangements.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_There␈αare␈αtwo␈αconditions␈αunder␈αwhich␈αthis␈αscheme␈αshould␈αbe␈αreplaced␈αby␈αa␈αmore␈αformal␈αone.
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓HFirst,␈α∞at␈α∞some␈α∞time␈α∞it␈α∞may␈α∞become␈α∞difficult␈α∞to␈α∞get␈α∞a␈α∞suitable␈α∞general␈α∞chairman␈α∞and␈α∞committee.␈α
An
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Horganization␈αmight␈αhelp␈αespecially␈αif␈αit␈αhad␈αa␈αstaff␈α-␈αbut␈αwe␈αare␈αunlikely␈αto␈αbe␈αable␈αto␈αafford␈αa␈αstaff.
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓HSecond,␈α∩a␈α∩dispute␈α∩about␈α∩something␈α∩might␈α∩arise␈α∩which␈α∩challenges␈α∩the␈α⊃legitimacy␈α⊃of␈α⊃the␈α⊃ad␈α⊃hoc
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hmeeting␈αthat␈αdetermines␈αthe␈αnext␈αconference.␈αSomeone␈αmight␈αbe␈αtempted␈αto␈αtry␈αto␈αpack␈αthe␈αmeeting,
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hetc.␈αIn␈αthat␈αcase,␈αit␈αwill␈αbecome␈αnecessary␈αto␈αhave␈αan␈αexecutive␈αcommittee␈αderiving␈α
its␈α
authority␈α
from
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Ha␈α
vote␈α
of␈α
the␈α
members.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_8.␈αThe␈αproblem␈αof␈αlegitimacy␈αof␈αthe␈αcontrol␈αof␈αthe␈αsurplus␈αfrom␈αIJCAIs␈αhas␈αarisen.␈αI␈αpropose
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hthat␈αit␈αbe␈αsolved␈αas␈αfollows:␈α(i)␈αthe␈αtrustees␈αconstitute␈αthemselves␈αinto␈αan␈αorganization␈αcalled␈αfinance
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hcommittee␈α∞for␈α∞IJCAIs.␈α∞(ii)␈α∞The␈α∞ad␈α∞hoc␈α∞organizing␈α
group␈α
meeting␈α
at␈α
each␈α
IJCAI␈α
formally␈α
give␈α
the
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hmoney␈αfrom␈αthat␈α
conference␈α
to␈α
the␈α
finance␈α
committee.␈α
(iii)␈α
Changes␈α
in␈α
the␈α
composition␈α
of␈α
the␈α
finance
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hcommittee␈α∞are␈α∞made␈α∞with␈α∞the␈α∞concurrence␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∞old␈α∞committee␈α∞and␈α∞the␈α∞ad␈α∞hoc␈α∞committee.␈α∞(iv)␈α∞If
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hthese␈α
bodies␈αare␈αunable␈αto␈αagree,␈αthen␈αa␈αnew␈αthree␈αmember␈αfinance␈αcommittee␈αshall␈αbe␈αelected␈αby␈αa
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓Hmail␈α∂ballot␈α∞of␈α∞the␈α∞attendees␈α∞at␈α∞the␈α∞last␈α∞two␈α∞IJCAIs␈α∞counting␈α∞the␈α∞one␈α∞at␈α∞which␈α∞the␈α∞dispute␈α∞occurs.
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓HNominations␈α
are␈α
to␈α
be␈α
submitted␈α
by␈α
the␈α
old␈α
finance␈α
committee␈α
and␈α
by␈α
the␈α
ad␈α
hoc␈α
committee.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_In␈α
this␈α
way␈α
we␈α
can␈α
avoid␈α
fuss␈α
unless␈α
we␈α
can't␈α
agree.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ α_In␈α
view␈α
of␈α
the␈α
above␈α
considerations,␈α
I␈α
propose␈α
postponing␈α
the␈α
formation␈α
of␈α
an␈αinternational
␈↓ ↓H
␈↓ ↓HAI␈α
organization␈α
for␈α
yet␈α
one␈α
more␈α
conference.
␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ ↓H

␈↓ εW
Sincerely yours,
␈↓ εW

␈↓ εW

␈↓ εW

␈↓ εW

␈↓ εW

␈↓ εW
John McCarthy
␈↓ εW
Director, Artificial Intelligence Laboratory
␈↓ εW
Computer Science Department
␈↓ εW

␈↓ ↓H
JMC:pw
␈↓ ↓H
aiorg.pln[cur,jmc]:SU-AI
␈↓ ↓H