PGM

Good discussion (and video) of simulation (current programming paradigm) and inference (the probabilistic methods).

FACTORIE is a toolkit for deployable probabilistic modeling, implemented as a software library in Scala. It provides its users with a succinct language for creating relational factor graphs, estimating parameters and performing inference.

The Pentagon's blue-sky researchers are eying computers that can learn on their own, which could make for some advanced new smart machines -- which are simple enough for non-experts to use as well.