Who the Heck is Artificial Intelligence?
In the previous post, I wrote about the evolution of AI. According to researches, it seems obvious that this acceleration in AI was expected, and we anticipate more advancements in the coming years. With AI, we have started to hear terms like deep learning, machine learning, and generative AI in anywhere related to AI.
Tech enthusiasts have been familiar with these terms. But what if you are not a tech enthusiast like they are and want to keep up with the acceleration to avoid being left behind in the AI revolution? You are in the right place to learn about them! Just kidding, I am just a regular person trying to understand the mechanisms behind all these enhancements by writing about it.
Long story short, in this post series, we will explore artificial intelligence, deep learning, machine learning, and generative AI together to understand them better. Of course, I know that these terms tried to explain in millions of different sources and platforms before. Why shouldn’t I be a millions + 1? 🙃 I hope this will be the last time you need to check these terms. In the first of the post series, of course, we start with the term we hear most. Let’s dive in.
Who is Artificial Intelligence?
I didn’t proceed without asking ChatGPT. Then, I asked, “What is AI?” and here is the answer:
Artificial Intelligence is a field of technology that enables machines to think and act like humans. AI consists of software and systems designed to perform complex tasks that typically require human intelligence. It is used in various applications, such as voice assistants, smart home devices, and even robots.
Okay, now it is time to approach this from a more human perspective. ChatGPT replied with “think and act like humans”, so we need to understand what kind of competencies we have, who we are, and what we are doing. We are social animals who are able to talk, learn, understand, recognize, and interact with one another. If you think of other capabilities, stay tuned for the end.
Some Examples
Language: AI can understand human language through natural language processing (NLP) and respond in text or spoken words. There are several real-life examples of this, such as language translators, Siri, chatbots, etc.
Learning: When companies were releasing their chatbots, they highlighted this as a key feature. Most of the chatbots remember the topics discussed in the conversation and give answers in the context of this content. Going even further, recommendation systems in online shopping, feed suggestions on Instagram, and personalized ads are examples of this capability.
Recognition: For me, this is the most indispensable feature we have with AI because it knows what we want. It is not only able to understand the language we speak but also to recognize visuals. This ability is behind Face ID on phones, lane control in self-driving cars, and features that identify people’s faces in your photo album.
In a Nutshell
This list of examples goes on and on. Bottom line, if someone calls you AI, remember that they are talking about something that can “only act like a human.” Additionally, they are referring to a very broad term, as AI encompasses various types divided into capabilities and functionalities. I will not delve into these details in this post.
For now, it will suffice if we understand what AI is. However, I would like to remind you that you cannot form a clear opinion on this subject without learning the functionalities and the terms of DL (Deep Learning), ML (Machine Learning), and GenAI (Generative AI). If you ask why, I am writing this post series to find out. 🤷♂️ The visualization below shows how all the terms we will talk about include each other. I will try to clarify it by going deeper in each article.
Coginitive Abilities
There is one last thing I want to discuss before finishing. While reading all of this, you may have thought, “Well, AI can’t act like a human being.” Yes, ma’am, you are 100% right for now. As mentioned in the definition, we are “social animals,” and there are some facts that make us social. Our cognitive abilities differentiate us from any other species.
For example, we have emotional intelligence, reasoning, creativity, judgment, and morals. These abilities cannot be realized by AI at the moment, and it does not behave like a fully human entity. The bold part is the punchline of this foresight. When AI reaches the Super AI level, we will get definitive answers about which of these abilities can and cannot be replicated.
