Poll #17: 10/01/00 - 11/01/00


AI SDKs & Toolkits Results(survey has 4 questions)
Which AI SDK or toolkit (if any) did you use in your most recent project?
(#1 of 4)
Logic Programming Associates' package of tools (Flex, Agent, Flint, etc.). (1)
3%
LouderThanABombs' Spark! SDK. (0)
Mathmatiques Appliquees' Direct IA. (0)
MIT's GALib. (0)
An internal proprietary AI SDK/toolkit that is used exclusively within our company. (2)
6%
Another commercial SDK that you don't have listed here. (4)
13%
We haven't used any AI SDKs or toolkits, but we plan to for our next project. (Skip to Question 4) (5)
16%
We haven't used any AI SDKs, nor are we likely to in the near future. (Skip to Question 4) (19)
61%
Total Selections = 31
If you have used an AI SDK or toolkit recently, how satisified were you with it?
(#2 of 4)
Very satisified. (0)
Mostly satisified. (2)
29%
Eh. (1)
14%
Mostly unsatisfied. (2)
29%
Never again. (2)
29%
Total Selections = 7
If you have used an AI SDK or toolkit recently, what did you think of its overall quality?
(#3 of 4)
Some of the best software we've ever worked with--great documentation and functionality. (3)
50%
Pretty good overall--fewer problems than you'd normally find in a typical SDK. (0)
Oh, it was about average. (0)
Definitely below average overall--the market clearly isn't mature yet. (2)
33%
Worst piece of @*^$ I've ever seen. (1)
17%
Total Selections = 6
If you haven't used an AI SDK or toolkit, why not?
(#4 of 4)
Didn't even know any existed. (3)
10%
Really haven't had the chance to evaluate any of the existing SDKs. (7)
23%
Don't really see how any SDK is going to be able to help us. (10)
32%
They still cost too much for too little functionality. (10)
32%
Tried to but couldn't get the idea past management and/or the rest of the team. (0)
Other reasons not listed above (please leave a comment to let us know why!). (1)
3%
Total Selections = 31
Steve's Comments: Well now...I certainly am surprised by the low numbers on this poll. I had expected developers to turn out in droves, if only to make public the reasons why they weren't interested in using AI SDKs. Based on the low turnout, it's more like they just don't care.

Still there are a couple of interesting trends to note. Most developers just don't see any reason to use an AI SDK, primarily because they either don't see the functionality being able to help them or because they just don't provide enough bang for the buck.

Those few who have used AI SDKs, however, are basically split between being happy with them and hating them.

More than anything, I think this tells us that the market is just plain not mature yet, and that developers are going to have to have the utility of AI SDKs proven to them before they'll invest any real time or money.