We often hear about AI or Artificial Intelligence, but do you know exactly what it is? What do we mean by artificial intelligence? What is the purpose of artificial intelligence? And how useful is it? Find out in this article.
Artificial intelligence in a nutshell
Artificial intelligence, more commonly known as AI, is a program that imitates human intelligence. It works by means of an algorithm executed within a dynamic computing environment. In other words, AI is a program designed to enable computers to "copy" human behavior.
What are the 3 subjects associated with artificial intelligence?
Artificial intelligence can only think and act like a human being if it gathers a certain amount of data. It must also be able to process this data properly. To set up a functional AI, therefore, three things need to come together:
- A high-performance IT system;
- data associated with management systems ;
- advanced AI codes or algorithms.
As you can see, developing artificial intelligence is not for the faint-hearted.
Who is behind artificial intelligence?
We still mistakenly believe that AI is a recent discovery, linked to the evolution of Big Data. However, scientists have been working for almost a century to create a device capable of imitating human reasoning. Yet it was John MacCarthy who first used the term artificial intelligence in 1955. A year later, he and his colleagues organized the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence. It was there that the public discovered the existence of machine learning, deep learning, predictive and prescriptive analysis. What do these terms mean? Quite simply, these are the forms of AI. At least, the things that AI can do.
What are the 4 types of artificial intelligence?
There are different kinds of artificial intelligence, whose performance varies according to the complexity of the algorithms and the data used to train it.
Narrow intelligence or ANI
This is the most common form of AI. It is weak or narrow, since it can only perform the functions for which it has been programmed. Generally speaking, machines with this type of AI can only perform a single task. You can put in this category all devices that are able to perform a specific task autonomously, albeit using human-like capabilities. Like Apple's Siri, voice recognition systems use this form of AI.
General artificial intelligence or AGI
This form of artificial intelligence is capable of executing a more elaborate program than the previous one. Devices equipped with this form of AI are capable of functioning, acting and learning in the same way as a human being. This form of artificial intelligence is not yet complete. Researchers around the world are continuing their efforts to produce devices capable of performing several tasks at the same time, in the same way as a human being.
Super artificial intelligence or ASI
This form of artificial intelligence is more advanced than the previous two. It has been designed to mimic human intelligence as closely as possible. The device equipped with this form of AI also boasts a large memory capacity, enabling it to process data and carry out analyses more rapidly. Ultimately, researchers hope to develop machines with AI capable of outperforming humans.
The hypothetical form of AI
AI research is constantly evolving. Researchers are currently looking at how to create AI that functions exactly like the human brain. They want to create machines that can think for themselves, and have needs and emotions, just like humans.
What is artificial intelligence used for in everyday life?
Artificial intelligence can process and analyze large quantities of data in a very short space of time. This enables it to make the best possible decision in any given situation. It is, without doubt, at the heart of any complex decision-making process. Let's look at a specific example. There are many tic-tac-toe champions, since it's easier to record every move that could lead to victory. On the other hand, it's more difficult for a checkers player, since there are almost 500 trillion possible combinations. AI can analyze all these possibilities and make the best decision.
AI can therefore be of great use to us on a daily basis. It is used by financial establishments to detect fraud and make forecasts of purchasing intentions and various customer services. Thanks to AI, banks can assess the creditworthiness of consumers. It also makes it easier to detect fraudulent use of bankcards in real time.
Artificial intelligence is also behind virtual customer service. Thanks to artificial intelligence, virtual customer service can handle customer requests without the need for human intervention. You've heard of the human dialogue simulator or the voice recognition that appears when you first contact a customer service department? This is the work of AI.
When you go to a website and open a chat window, you're talking to a chatbot, another form of artificial intelligence. The human interlocutor only takes over when requests exceed the function predefined in the chatbot's program. These errors are then sent to a central unit for interpretation. The aim is to enable the artificial intelligence to process this information next time.
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