TECHNOLOGY
Demystifying AI (AI Superpower) or What is Artificial Intelligence?
We have all heard this plenty of times in the recent past “AI is the future”, “AI will take over our jobs”, “AI is spreading in every industry”. But Do we understand what AI is? I know it stands for Artificial intelligence. The encyclopedia Britannica defines AI as “the ability of a digital computer or computer-controlled robot to perform tasks commonly associated with intelligent beings.” but for an ordinary person, this definition is mystifying. It doesn’t clear up the air of AI.
So let me try to simplify it.
AI or Artificial intelligence is like an intelligent mimic artist who can perform human-like actions rapidly and accurately; this term can also be applied to machines, showing traits such as learning and problem-solving.
Types of Artificial Intelligence
Now, there are broadly two types of AI -type1 and type2.
Type1-can be further classified into (Yawn alert!)
a) Narrow AI can perform dedicated tasks with intelligence and are also the most common available AI in the world. A few known examples are- Apple’s Siri, IBM’s Watson supercomputer
b) General AI– The idea here is to build an intelligent machine and think like a human on its own, performing any intellectual tasks with the efficiency of humans.
c) Strong AI or Super AI– Alright sci-fi alert, these are the system that can surpass human intelligence, solve complex problems, reason and think, and communicate on their own accord; I know, it’s a bit scary!
Ok, I hope you didn’t get bored and lost interest because it’s about to get more interesting!
Type2- Functionality classification
a) Reactive Machines or Reactive Machine AI-These are the most basic type of AI which can’t store and refer from past data or experiences. Examples- IBM’s Deep blue system, Google alpha go
b) Limited Memory AI– These machines can store past experiences for a short duration of time; the best example is self-driving cars which can store data like the routes and distances from point a to b and speeds and distances from other vehicles.
c) Theory of Mind AI-These are target to understand human emotions, their psychology, beliefs etc. These are not yet fully developed but have the potential to revolutionize the world.
d) Self Awareness AI -These are in the embryo stage of development and are just theoretical. These machines, when fully developed, will be far more intelligent than humans, will have their own emotions and sentiments and will have the conscience of humans. You have seen them in movies like Terminator, or like Ultron and vision from the MCU (yes, I am a marvel fanatic)
To summarize, AI is just building an extremely advanced brain with heightened capabilities and awareness and putting it into a machine (so that it can destroy humanity, JK! no, it won’t do that, …yet). However, with the amount of funding, research and hard work put into the study of AI, knowledgeable AI won’t be just a Sci-fi concept, and it completely changes (hopefully for the better) the way the world works.
