Validation and verification of intelligent systems - what are they and how are they different?

TLDR

Expert systems require verification and validation, yet multiple interpretations of these terms have emerged, creating confusion. The paper aims to clarify the meanings of verification and validation for intelligent systems and to describe how researchers implement these processes. It outlines techniques for performing verification and validation, including the role of testing in these processes. The authors conclude that there is great confusion about the definitions, differences, and implementation of verification and validation.

Abstract

Researchers and practitioners in the field of expert systems all generally agree that to be useful, any fielded intelligent system must be adequately verified and validated. But what does this mean in concrete terms? What exactly is verification? What exactly is validation? How are they different? Many authors have attempted to define these terms and, as a result, several interpretations have surfaced. It is our opinion that there is great confusion as to what these terms mean, how they are different, and how they are implemented. This paper, therefore, has two aims—to clarify the meaning of the terms validation and verification as they apply to intelligent systems, and to describe how several researchers are implementing these. The second part of the paper, therefore, details some techniques that can be used to perform the verification and validation of systems. Also discussed is the role of testing as part of the above-mentioned processes.