Chinese Room refutes strong AI not weak AI
The Chinese Room argument refutes strong AI by showing that running a program is not enough to generate any real understanding or intentionality. But it doesn't refute weak AI, which simply uses computers as tools to study the mind.
John Searle 1980a, 1980b, 1990b.

Strong AI: The position that an appropriately programmed computer really is a mind. Computers can possess mental states just by virtue of formal symbol manipulations.

Weak AI: The position that computers are a useful tool in psychology. They help researchers test andn evaluate theories about how the mind works.

From Searle's perspective, Weak AI is an appropriate research program; strong AI is not.
CONTEXT(Help)
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Artificial Intelligence »Artificial Intelligence
Can computers think? [1] »Can computers think? [1]
Yes: physical symbol systems can think [3] »Yes: physical symbol systems can think [3]
The Chinese Room Argument [4] »The Chinese Room Argument [4]
Chinese Room refutes strong AI not weak AI
Searle attacks a straw man »Searle attacks a straw man
John Searle »John Searle
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