What is AI?
When defined at a superficial level, AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is quite a basic concept. It is the concept of getting machines to complete actions or jobs that when completed by a human, would force them to use their “human intelligence”. AI will normally show or attempt to replicate human behaviors, such as: manipulation, learning, problem resolution, planning and sometimes even creativity. [1]
What are the uses of AI?
AI is used in many ways. Voice assistants in smart phones use it to understand our voices and carryout commands, TV and movie streaming applications, such as Netflix, use AI to track our media watching habits and recommend different content that it believes we enjoy, and driver-less cars, while still being in the early stages of development, use AI to calculate when to switch lanes, what the distance is between cars, and even how long a specific commute will take. [2]
What are the types of AI?
There are two different kinds of AI. Narrow AI and General AI. Narrow AI, also known as “Artificial Narrow Intelligence”, is quite basic. It is a “less human” type of AI that is significantly less adaptable than General AI, and it can only carry out simple tasks such as organizing calendars or booking a hotel at a specific time and date. General AI, also known as “Artificial General Intelligence”, is adaptable, much more complex, and is what most people think about when they hear the word “AI”. This type of AI is the intelligence that is featured front and center in most Sci-Fi movies and TV shows, with machines and programs being able to fully replicate human behavior. Though, whether you like it or not, this type of hyper-intelligent AI is a ways off, estimated by some scientists to only become a reality in a minimum of thirty years from now, [3] and even that estimate is wildly optimistic. [1]
Citations
[1] Heath, Nick. “What Is AI? Everything You Need to Know about Artificial Intelligence.” ZDNet, ZDNet, 1 July 2019, https://www.zdnet.com/article/what-is-ai-everything-you-need-to-know-about-artificial-intelligence/.
[2] “What Is AI? What Does Artificial Intelligence Do? – CBBC Newsround.” BBC News, BBC, https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/49274918.
[3] Joshi, Naveen. “How Far Are We From Achieving Artificial General Intelligence?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 10 June 2019, https://www.forbes.com/sites/cognitiveworld/2019/06/10/how-far-are-we-from-achieving-artificial-general-intelligence/#525b93426dc4.