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What Is Artificial Intelligence? Definition, Uses, and Types

Reviewed by Mahdi Khezri
administrator
Written by Melika Hosseini
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What Is Artificial Intelligence? Definition, Uses, and Types

Imagine ⤵️
A world where cars drive us safely through streets or your smart house can be automatically controlled remotely from anywhere only with an internet connection on your phone! ☺️
Just a few decades ago, these ideas were nothing but science fiction, but today, they are becoming part of our everyday lives thanks to artificial intelligence. 👍

But how does artificial intelligence work? and why does it matter? In this article, we’ll explore the fascinating world of artificial intelligence. We explore its history, amazing applications, and how it is reshaping our world.

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technology that allows computers to simulate human abilities such as learning, comprehension, solving problems, making decisions, and being creative. AI systems can experience and learn from the new information they receive. They can even understand the human language.

The most popular languages among AI developers are Python,R, Java, C ++, and Julia.   It is not possible to use just one programming language exclusively in AI.

What is artificial intelligence?

History of AI

In 1956, artificial intelligence was coined, but today it is becoming increasingly popular  as data volumes, algorithms, and computing power improve.

John McCarthy, the father of AI.

In the 1950s, AI research focused on problems and symbolic methods. The US Department of Defense began training computers to mimic basic human reasoning in the 1960s. A few decades before Siri, Alexa or Cortana were household names, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) completed street mapping projects in the 1970s.

Those early works paved the way for formal reasoning and automation in computers today, including decision support systems and smart search systems that complement human capabilities. Despite Hollywood movies and science fiction novels portraying AI as human-like robots, today’s AI technology isn’t quite that scary- or quite so smart.

1940s–1970s

Neural Networks: The concept of “thinking machines” is sparked by early work with neural networks.

1980s–2010s

Machine Learning: Machine learning becomes popular.

2011–2020s

Deep Learning: Deep learning breakthroughs drive the AI boom.

Present Day

Generative AI: A disruptive tech, soars in popularity.

Types of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be organized in several ways, depending on stages of development or actions being performed. AI development is commonly divided into   four stages.

Type of artificial intelligence.

1️⃣ Reactive Machines 

A limited AI that only reacts to different stimuli according to  preprogrammed rules, and thus cannot learn from new experiences. An example of a reactive machine was  IBM’ s Deep Blue, which beat Garry Kasparov in 1997.

2️⃣ Limited Memory

 The majority of modern AI is considered to be limited memory. AI can improve over time with the help of memories, By being trained with new data, typically through an artificial neural network or another form of training model. Machine learning, or deep learning, is a subset of  artificial intelligence with a limited memory.

3️⃣ Theory of Mind

Currently,  theory of mind AI does not  exist, but research is ongoing into its  potential .In the current state  of  research, there is no theory of mind AI, but  there are plans to develop one.

An AI that emulates the human mind, including the ability to recognize emotions,  remember them and react  in social situations like a human, is described as having human-like decision-making capabilities . 

4️⃣ Self Aware

Self-aware AI is a step beyond theory of mind AI, describing a mythical machine with the mental and emotional capabilities of a person. Like theory of mind AI, self-aware AI does not currently exist.

Artificial intelligence can be broadly categorized based on the capabilities of the machine.

What is Generative Artificial Intelligence?

A form of artificial intelligence called generative intelligence creates new content by   learning patterns from large datasets, such as text, images, music, and videos.

Generative AI models produce content that closely resembles human-made material   using deep learning and neural networks. A few examples include ChatGPT for  creating text and DALL-E for creating images, both of which mimic human creativity and adapt based on input. Personalized marketing and virtual assistance are just a few of   the applications of this technology. Artificial superintelligence (ASI) is the next level, in which a machine is capable of performing all human functions better.

How Generative AI Works?

Algorithms and data are the basis of artificial intelligence. First, a process known as training involves collecting massive amounts of data and applying it to mathematical models, or algorithms, which then use the information to recognize patterns and make predictions. Algorithms are trained and deployed into various applications where they continuously learn and adapt to new data. AI systems can therefore perform complex tasks such as image recognition, language processing, and data analysis more   accurately and efficiently.

What is AGI in Artificial Intelligence?

First of all, let’s see what AGI is. AGI, or Artificial General Intelligence, is related to a level of artificial intelligence that can understand, learn, and use intelligence across a wide range of works at a level equal to or even beyond that of a human. The interesting difference between what is AGI and what is artificial intelligence, is that specialized AI systems are designed to do tasks like create and edit images or videos, translating many languages and more, while AGI would be as flexible and adaptable as human intelligence. It’s much more like a human. 

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AI researchers continue to pursue AGI as a theoretical goal since it would require machines to have broad intelligence and be able to generalize across different domains   of knowledge.

What are Artificial Intelligence with Examples?

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a field of computer science dedicated to creating systems  that can perform tasks normally performed by humans. In order to perform complex   tasks,  AI relies on algorithms and data to learn, adapt, and  predict, which enables  machines to recognize speech, make decisions, solve problems, and understand language.

Examples of Artificial Intelligence are mentioned below ↴

Examples of AI.

✅ AI Voice Assistants (e.g., Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant): 

They provide information, set reminders, and control smart devices using voice commands. In AI personal assistants, artificial intelligence is used to perform daily  tasks. A text assistant, voice bot, or both can be AI-powered. Siri and Alexa are   examples. Like an executive assistant, they understand and respond to user commands using NLP and Machine Learning algorithms, improving over time for a personalized experience. We are increasingly using voice data in our daily routines and digital transformation processes as AI tools thanks to continuous advances in voice data.

✅ Image Recognition (e.g., Google Photos)

AI can identify faces, objects, and scenes in photos, enabling automatic categorization and search by tags like “beach” or “friends.”

✅ Text Generation (e.g., Chat gpt, Grammarly’s AI Writer,..)

Text generation is when a text generator is a program that generates text automatically, mimicking the way a human would write. Chatbots, content creation, and even writing emails and reports use this technology.

✅ Image Generation (e.g., DALL-E 3, Meta AI,…)

 Image generation AI generates images from scratch or from descriptions. For example, AI can take a simple text prompt like “a young Gen-Z influencer holding a phone” and generate a realistic or artistic image of that scene. In the world of art, entertainment, and marketing, this technology allows creators to quickly and easily visualize concepts.

✅ Recommendation Engines (e.g., Netflix, Spotify)

 AI analyzes viewing or listening habits to suggest movies, shows, or songs tailored to individual preferences.

✅ Self-Driving Cars (e.g., Tesla’s Autopilot, BMW Autopilot,… )

 Using AI, these cars can detect and respond to traffic, road signs, and obstacles, making autonomous driving possible.

✅ Customer Support Chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT)

These AI systems can handle inquiries, provide solutions, and engage with customers online, offering a quick response to common issues.

✅ Multimodal AI (e.g., Google Gemini, Molmo AI,…)

To enhance information understanding, multimodal AI combines different types of data, such as text, images, and sounds. For example, in analyzing a video, a multimodal AI might understand spoken words and objects in the video and read any text on the screen. In fields such   as autonomous vehicles, it is important to understand and interpret multiple types of  data at the same time in order to ensure the safety of the vehicle.

Strong AI vs. Weak AI

There are two types of artificial intelligence: narrow (or weak) AI and general (or strong) AI

✦ Narrow AI

The narrow AI refers to models trained to perform specific tasks. Narrow AI  is limited to the task it is programmed to perform, without the ability to generalize widely or learn beyond its initial programming.

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There are many examples of narrow AI, including virtual assistants, such as Apple Siri and Amazon Alexa, and recommendation engines, such as those on streaming platforms like Spotify and Netflix.

✦ General AI

This type of AI, which does not currently exist, is known as artificial general intelligence (AGI). If created, AGI would be capable of performing any intellectual task that a human being can. For AGI to comprehend complex problems it was not specifically programmed to solve, it would need the ability to apply reasoning across a wide range of domains. This, in turn, would require something known in AI as fuzzy logic: A fuzzy logic approach is one that allows for gray areas and gradations of uncertainty, rather than binary, black-and-white outcomes.

What Are the Benefits of AI?

The most important AI benefits are mentioned below, helping you learn why artificial intelligence has become widespread today. 

The benefits of AI.

✔️ Solve Complex Problems

The ability of AI to process large amounts of information at once allows it to find patterns and solve complex problems that may be too difficult for humans, such as predicting financial outlooks, or optimizing energy solutions. In order to support complex human decisions, AI systems can compile and analyze data from a variety of sources at scale.

 For instance, By analyzing vast datasets, AI can forecast workforce needs, enabling organizations to plan for hiring in the future and anticipate skill gaps. Talent acquisition can be aligned with long-term business goals using this strategic approach.

It can surprisingly solve chess and Sudoku. 

✔️ Automation of Repetitive Tasks

AI technology can be used to automate repetitive processes like data input, manufacturing, and customer support interactions. Humans can now concentrate on other important tasks. 

Artificial intelligence can automate repetitive, time-consuming tasks such as responding to customer inquiries, scheduling appointments, and processing invoices.

✔️ Enhanced Accuracy and Efficiency

AI increases the accuracy of procedures like financial transactions, product recommendations, and medical diagnostics by lowering human error. 

AI is increasing manufacturing accuracy. Bestpractices.ai says, French food manufacturer Danone Group increased product demand forecast accuracy to 92% with a 55% improvement in net uplift from promotional events using machine learning.

✔️ Time Savings

Robotics and AI have the potential to increase productivity and safety besides automating tasks. For instance, in manufacturing, AI-powered robots are used at an increasing rate to carry out repetitive or risky tasks as part of warehouse automation, which lowers the risk to human workers and boosts total efficiency.

For example in art design, AI-powered tools can reduce manual design work by assisting with tasks such as generating images, designing layouts, and optimizing color schemes.

✔️ Boosts Productivity

Knowledge workers frequently carry out duties involving the search and discovery of important knowledge. For instance, airline employees search for flight information, and physicians search for patient records, hospital policies, and medicine databases. Employees are distracted from their primary role when they spend time finding and compiling information from multiple sources. 

AI technologies can provide consolidated and summarized information in context and on time. Intelligent search and discovery functions powered by artificial intelligence can boost employee satisfaction and productivity in any industry. The biggest airline in Europe, Ryanair, for instance, developed an AI system to help staff members, increasing output and satisfaction.

✔️ Scalability

AI systems can handle large-scale operations, processing massive amounts of data and tasks simultaneously, which is especially useful for global businesses. This makes AI well suited for scenarios where data volumes and workloads can grow exponentially, such as internet search and business analytics.

What Are the Disadvantages of AI?

People and experts all focus on the upsides of AI. However, like any other technology, AI has some downsides too, which are written in this section. 

See also  ChatGPT use cases in creativity
The disadvantages of AI.

✖️ High Costs of Development 

The cost of building an AI solution can be considered as the main challenge especially for smaller businesses. For simpler AI projects, expenses typically start at around $5,000. However, for more advanced, technology-intensive solutions, costs can exceed $500,000. Therefore, building AI can be very expensive. According to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the company spent over $100 million training its GPT-4 model.

✖️ Job Displacement

People who are working in human work types of jobs that are manually repetitive, believe that AI and robotics is a disruptive force and when it comes to the future of jobs it merely serves to steal jobs. A recent G-P AI study found that 84% of business leaders plan to invest more in AI in the next year.

✖️ Bias and Discrimination

Some AI models are trained on data based on biased human decisions, resulting in  outputs that are discriminatory or biased. There can be significant disadvantages associated with bias and discrimination in AI, including perpetuating social inequalities, unfairly disadvantaging certain groups of people in hiring, etc.

✖️ Lack of Creativity and Talent Gap 

In spite of advancements, AI lacks genuine creativity and emotional intelligence, so it  cannot perform tasks that require human intuition. In addition to technical complexity, AI   and machine learning professionals are in short supply compared to the ever- growing  demand. As a result of the gap between AI talent supply and demand, many   organizations have difficulty finding qualified workers to staff their AI initiatives, despite   the growth of interest in AI applications.

The Future of AI

According to GrandViewResearch,The global AI market is expected to reach $1.81 trillion by 2030! While the current AI market is sizable, it’s set to grow by over 13x over the next decade or so. During this forecast period, the AI market is predicted to increase by a CAGR of 37.3%.

The future of AI.

Currently, artificial intelligence technologies operate within predetermined parameters. For example, AI models trained in image recognition and generation cannot build websites.

Research in artificial general intelligence (AGI) is aimed at creating software with human-like intelligence and the ability to self- learn. Software should be able to perform tasks for which it is not necessarily trained or developed. 

AGI is a theoretical pursuit to develop AI systems with autonomous self-control, reasonable self-understanding, and the ability to learn new skills. In settings and contexts that were not taught when it was created, it can solve complex problems. AGI with human abilities remains a theoretical concept and research goal. It is one possible future of AI.

Final Words

Artificial Intelligence has come a long way from its conceptual beginnings to becoming a transformative force across industries. Despite its diverse types and applications, it   has the potential to solve global challenges in the future even more than it has in the   past.

The power of AI continues to grow, and understanding its foundations and possibilities is essential to individuals and businesses alike. The journey of AI is far from over, and we are all part of shaping its future.

FAQS

1. What is the purpose of artificial intelligence?

AI simulates human intelligence in machines, enabling them to perform tasks such as  learning, reasoning, problem-solving, and making decisions. AI aims to improve efficiency, automate processes, and enhance human capabilities across various domains.

2. Why is AI important?

AI is important because it enhances efficiency, automates repetitive tasks, improves decision-making, and enables innovation across various industries.

3. What level of education is required for artificial intelligence?

A bachelor’s degree in computer science, data science, or a related field is typically required, though advanced roles often demand a master’s or Ph.D. in AI or machine learning.

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