What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence, (AI), is a branch of computer science that aims to create machines that mimic human intelligence.
The term “Artificial Intelligence” was first coined by John McCarthy in 1956. He was a computer science professor at Stanford University and one of the founders of the discipline of artificial intelligence. He proposed the term at the Dartmouth Conference in 1956, where the core idea was to explore
“every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence that can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to simulate it.”
-John McCarthy
Artificial Intelligence, (AI) Types
1) Reactive Machines AI: This is the most basic form of AI. These types of systems are designed to perform specific tasks and react to certain types of inputs. They can’t form memories or use past information to inform current decisions; instead, they react to the immediate problem in front of them. A great example of reactive machines is IBM’s Deep Blue, a system that beat the world champion chess player, Garry Kasparov, in the 90s.
2) Limited Memory AI: This type of AI can use past experiences or data to inform decisions. It has the ability to learn from historical data to make predictions. Most current AI applications fall under this category, like autonomous vehicles that observe and learn from real-time road conditions, previous trip data, etc.
3) Theory of Mind AI: This class of AI is hypothetical and represents a future stage in AI development. It refers to systems that understand, interpret, and exhibit human-like emotions. These AI systems will be capable of social intelligence and will understand that humans have beliefs, desires, intentions, and emotions that affect their decisions.
4) Self-Aware AI: This is the final stage of AI evolution based on current predictions. Self-aware AI refers to systems that have human-like consciousness and self-awareness. These machines will not just understand human emotions, but they will also have their own emotions, needs, beliefs, and desires. As of my knowledge cutoff in 2021, this type of AI is purely theoretical and not yet achieved.
Artificial Intelligence, (AI) Classifications
AI is classified into two main types:
1) Narrow AI, Also known as Weak AI, this type of AI is designed to perform a narrow task, such as voice recognition, recommendation systems, or image recognition. It operates under a limited set of constraints and is highly specialized for a specific task. Most AI in existence as of 2021 is Narrow AI.
2) General AI, Also known as Strong AI or AGI (Artificial General Intelligence), this type of AI would outperform humans at most economically valuable work. It represents highly autonomous systems that are capable of outperforming humans at most economically valuable work. As of 2021, AGI does not yet exist.
Artificial Intelligence, (AI) Uses
AI is used in many aspects of modern life and business, ranging from voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, recommendation systems used by Netflix and Amazon, autonomous vehicles, and in many other fields including healthcare, finance, and even space exploration.
Artificial Intelligence is a field of technology with the potential to revolutionize every aspects of society, economy, and daily life, as machines become smarter and more efficient.
