What Is AI?

AI is short for Artificial Intelligence. It's a way for computers and machines to learn from experience, adapt to new information, and perform tasks that usually require human intervention. Imagine a video game that changes with your playstyle, or a voice assistant, such Siri or Alexa that understands your questions. That's AI at work, and there are different types of AI for different tasks.

Narrow AI 

Narrow AI, also known as weak AI, is designed to perform a specific task. This type of AI needs large amounts of data to learn from. Narrow AI uses large data sets, which are collections of information, to learn how to do something. For example, an AI that recognizes cats in photos needs thousands of pictures of cats and non-cats to understand what features make up a cat, and how to identify them. The more images the AI analyzes, the more accurate it becomes. This type of AI is typically good at performing one specific task. For instance, an AI that plays chess won't be able to drive a car. One example of narrow AI that you might be familiar with is YouTube’s recommendations. An algorithm is used to recommend you videos based on what you, and others like you, enjoy watching.

General AI

General Artificial Intelligence, also known as strong AI or AGI, is a more advanced type of AI. AGI is designed to learn and understand any intellectual task that a human can. Instead of needing specific data sets for each task, AGI would have the ability to learn and adapt to new situations much like a human does. As opposed to narrow AI, AGI can perform a wide range of tasks. For example, it could play chess, drive a car, and hold a conversation about them, all with the same underlying intelligence. It would also be able to reason, plan, and solve problems in ways that are similar to human thinking. AGI would open endless possibilities for solving complex problems, and although it does not yet exist, engineers are working very hard to make it a reality.

How Will AI Shape the Future?

AI is already changing our world, and its importance will only increase with time. One area that people are excited about is education. Imagine having a tutor that understands exactly where you need help, and adjusts in such a way to best fit your strengths. AI can analyze how you solve problems, where you struggle, and tailor lessons to fit your needs. AI has a promising future in medicine as well. It can help physicians diagnose and treat illnesses more accurately. For instance, when looking at X-rays and MRI’s, AI could detect abnormalities more quickly than physicians. AI can also be used to develop new medications. For instance, Halicin is an antibiotic discovered using artificial intelligence. Researchers at MIT named it after HAL 9000 from "2001: A Space Odyssey." Halicin is able to mitigate a wide range of bacteria, including some antibiotic-resistant strains. Unlike traditional antibiotics, Halicin targets bacterial metabolism, making it harder for bacteria to develop resistance.

Who is Making AI?

Creating artificial intelligence requires the collaboration of many people across a wide range of career fields. Computer scientists study AI theories and come up with new ways for machines to learn and think. They work in universities, research labs, and companies dedicated to advancing AI. Once the researchers develop new ideas, engineers and programmers turn those ideas into real software and hardware. They write the code that makes AI systems work, and build the server computers that use AI. Many tech companies are at the forefront of AI development. Companies like Google, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft invest heavily in AI research and development. They create AI tools and applications that we use every day, such as search engines, smart assistants, and automated recommendation systems.

The Path Ahead

AI gives computers a means to learn, adapt, and perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. AI is already improving our lives in many ways, from personalized education to self-driving cars. As AI continues to evolve, it will shape the future in ways we can only imagine.