Artificial intelligence, and especially the idea of it, has been around much longer than most people realize.
If someone told you there was large funding for this technology in the 1960s, would you believe them? Well, this figurative person would be right – it was a popular research topic of the era. Though, true AI did not roll into being until the mid-1980s. But ancient history aside, this technology has evolved in multiple ways since its origins. Nowadays, it is being used in beer testing, fraud prevention, and of course autonomous vehicles.
But what is AI exactly? How does it work? Why is it capable of so much? Did you know that you can use AI in the form of a logo maker, fraud prevention, and even your own personal assistant? Yes, that is right. You, the reader of this article, can make use of AI this very second. But it stands to reason you should have a basic level of understanding for the technology before you get your hands on it. Therefore, here is your guide to understanding AI.
What is AI?
Are you able to give a clear, technical answer to the question above? If you are, then this article may not be of interest to you. But given the rapid growth of AI technology, and its highly complex nature, there are many who do not have a foundational understanding of it. So to be blunt – AI is when a computer or similar system engages in cognitive functions such as solving problems, learning, and more. As seen in the examples listed above, it has endless applications thanks to its inherent ability to adapt and grow relative to its environment. When you put AI like that, it is a tad crazy, right?
How Does AI Function?
If you were looking for a crash course in the heavy jargon of AI technology, you have come to the wrong place. Instead, the focus here will be simplicity. Seeing as AI is one of the more complex systems on planet earth, this is easier said than done. But here is a stab at it.
Imagine you have a traditional printer in front of you and it begins printing out every thought you have had since becoming cognitive. This is an overwhelming concept to be sure but just stick with it. As these pages finish printing you notice each one has a specific color related to the type of thought printed on the page. Logically, you begin sorting them according to color. Not just the primary colors. But every color under the sun. After a while, you have distinct categories and subcategories on every kind of thought imaginable. So much so that you can clearly see your decision making processes, behavior patterns, and the many ways in which events outside your control influenced your inner person. This is what AI does with the information given it, regardless of context – it sorts, categorizes, learns, and responds in a way that is somewhat reflective of the human mind and reasoning.
Where is AI Going?
Here is the thing about the answer to this question – it really is any person’s guess. AI has come further than our grandfathers ever imagined possible. That is just in a few decades of work. Now that true AI not only exists, but is widespread, the sky is no longer the limit. Space and even the space between spaces is where AI is headed. What does this look like practically? Autonomous vehicles are a great starting point for this discussion. Can you imagine a world where every single vehicle is driverless? It really is not that far out of reach, given some legislation changes. But this aspect only begins to scratch the surface.
There is noticeable hope within the AI community that, some ways down the road, it could be used to evaluate a human being’s entire medical state and respond accordingly with medication, treatment suggestions, or even doctor referrals. Not only that, a further aim of such projects is for the AI to be predictive of a patient’s health concerns as they age. Something like this would allow many, many, people to cut off health issues at the source, before significant side effects arise out of them.
If all that information did not overwhelm you, congratulations! You are in a rare class – even the basics of AI are an incredibly complex topic. Here, just a shadow of those were touched on. But do not dissuade your efforts to learn more as the world is changing rapidly and AI is at the forefront.