Artificial Intelligence 101: How to get started

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Are you thinking of Chappie, Terminator, and Lucy? Sentient, self-aware robots are closer to becoming a reality than you think. Developing computer systems that equal or exceed human intelligence is the crux of artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the study of computer science focusing on developing software or machines that exhibit human intelligence. A simple enough definition, right?

Obviously, there is a lot more to it. AI is a broad topic ranging from simple calculators to self-steering technology to something that might radically change the future.

Goals and Applications of AI

The primary goals of AI include deduction and reasoning, knowledge representation, planning, natural language processing (NLP), learning, perception, and the ability to manipulate and move objects. Long-term goals of AI research include achieving Creativity, Social Intelligence, and General (human level) Intelligence.

AI has heavily influenced different sectors that we may not recognize. Ray Kurzweil says “Many thousands of AI applications are deeply embedded in the infrastructure of every industry.” John McCarthy, one of the founders of AI, once said that “as soon as it works, no one calls it AI anymore.”

Broadly, AI is classified into the following:

Types of AI

While there are various forms of AI as it’s a broad concept, we can divide it into the following three categories based on AI’s capabilities:

Weak AI, which is also referred to as Narrow AI, focuses on one task. There is no self-awareness or genuine intelligence in case of a weak AI.

iOS Siri is a good example of a weak AI combining several weak AI techniques to function. It can do a lot of things for the user, and you’ll see how “narrow” it exactly is when you try having conversations with the virtual assistant.

Strong AI, which is also referred to as True AI, is a computer that is as smart as the human brain. This sort of AI will be able to perform all tasks that a human could do. There is a lot of research going on in this field, but we still have much to do. You should be imagining Matrix or I, Robot here.

Artificial Superintelligence is going to blow your mind if Strong AI impressed you.  Nick Bostrom, leading AI thinker, defines it as “an intellect that is much smarter than the best human brains in practically every field, including scientific creativity, general wisdom and social skills.”

Artificial Superintelligence is the reason why many prominent scientists and technologists, including Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk, have raised concerns about the possibility of human extinction.