Artificial Intelligence (AI): What is it Exactly?

Artificial Intelligence (AI): What is it Exactly?

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) sometimes called MACHINE INTELLIGENCE is a concept that theorizes computers demonstrating human-like intelligence.  

Since this intelligence is not natural, it is therefore called artificial intelligence.

AI is already in existence and finding expression in search engine, cataloguing of book and other items.

A common example of AI used everyday is-Google Assistant; is a system software developed Google which provides help in performing daily activities.

Artificial Intelligence: Getting the best of Google Assistant  

We also have Alexa, a virtual assistant developed by Amazon, Cortana developed by Microsoft, Siri by IOS.

If you are using a smartphone, you may be interacting with artificial intelligence technology without you knowing.

Google search engine now functions with the help of AI. 

So also Facebook feeds, music and streaming devices, videos games, online advertisement and online shopping are among the several examples of artificial intelligence.

In the future, AI  may surpass human intellect. 

But for now, it is at its infancy stage.

Technology is ever-evolving!  

In the past, artificial intelligence exists in Hollywood.

Now, almost every field of life is experiencing the change that comes with the advancement of AI technology.

Artificial intelligence future, especially in a computer system will entail the acquisition of information using laid down rules and regulations.

AI use these pieces of information to draw an approximate or define conclusions.

Based on the available data, artificial intelligence makes self-correction to give positive and informed results.

Phones, computers and other devices are been upgraded to meet the need and speed of information processes.  

And to have the ability to recognize the human language.

These processes are in preparation to make way for the functionalities and capabilities that come with artificial intelligence.

Although AI has been around since the 1950s, it’s only recently that it began to find real-world applications.

And you won’t believe how fast it is finding general acceptance in the world today.

Artificial intelligence has the capacity to solve immensely difficult issues, make the life of people simple and more comfortable.

That’s why…  

AI is a wide branch of computer science that deals with making machines smarter faster and capable of performing the human task more efficiently and effectively.  

What is Artificial Intelligence?

This question; "what is artificial intelligence?" have been asked by individuals, organizations  and CEO trying to boast their companies and concerned citizens. 

This is 

Today, artificial intelligence is a popular subject discussed by many and what you might consider AI may differ the others' opinion of the subject.

Image credits: geralt via Pixabay 

But what is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Artificial intelligence in layman terms is the science that deals with developing intelligent machines that have the capacity to think, act and function like humans.

AI development has immensely contributes to the society than it impending dangers.

Contrary to popular opinion, it is not limited to just information technology (IT) or technology industry.

AI is extensively used in other fields of life such as Business, Education, Law, Transportation, Banking and manufacturing industries.

Its' algorithm is versatile and therefore, have seen applications almost in almost all field of life

In order to fully understand what AI is, I will present a comparison of human intelligence and Artificial Intelligence.

The Human Mind and Intelligence

At birth, we don’t know anything about the world or our own self.

Slowly, we learn things.

Eventually, we learn how to walk, talk, eat and make decisions.

These functionalities in human grow over time, but we stand apex all animals because of our ability to think and act.

It is our ability to speak, think and act accordingly that gave us Superior Intelligence.

The special organ responsible for our Superior Intelligence is called the brain.

The human brain is an intelligent network of neurons, arranged and in sync with one another and with every part of our body.

The human brain is designed by a super-powered force, or put simple God.

It has the ability to learn, recognized patterns, develop new patterns, understand new things, solve problems, developed a complex relationship and above all, the tendency to show love.

Although individuals are different and having various level of intelligence, the brain is the core engine that determines the intelligence of a human.

With this information, let’s consider AI

Artificial Intelligence

AI is a machine, a set of codes, programs or a combination of programs that are designed to interact with one another in an attempt to mimic human cognitive ability.

Artificial intelligence is designed after the human mind and programmed to interact with humans based on set parameters.

AI is created with the goal of making machines function without the input, control and manipulations of humans.

That is intelligent machines with full autonomy of the actions.

In order to achieve this goal, Artificial intelligence specialist is focusing on a sub-component of AI called Machine learning.

Machine Learning

Machine learning is a sub-division of AI that enables the software, program or codes to improve its performance over time.

Put simply, upgrade itself.

For machines to improve their performance or upgrade themselves, they must first gather more inputs data.

The more data we gather and feed the machine, it learns and improves its performance.

Now let’s consider…

A brief history of Artificial intelligence and how It came to be;

History of Artificial Intelligence

The term artificial intelligence was first coined decades ago.

While it may be traced to ancient Greek myths of antiquity,  it was recently used by John McCarthy in the year 1956, at Dartmouth Conference  workshop.

See: Artificial Intelligence who are its' creators?

 And it has a quite simple definition in it’s earlier days as  

“The science and engineering of making intelligent machines”

In an attempt to further expand the reach of artificial intelligence, McCarthy, Marvin Minsky, Nathaniel Rochester and Claude Shannon  proposal for  AI as;

“We propose that a 2-month, 10-man study of artificial intelligence be carried out during the summer of 1956 at Dartmout College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The study is to proceed on the basis of the conjecture that every aspect of learning or any other feature of intelligence can in principle be so precisely described that a machine can be made to stimulate it. 

An attempt will be made to find how to make machines use language, form abstractions and concepts, solve kinds of problems now reserved for humans, and improve themselves. We think that a significant advance can be made in one or more of these problems if a carefully selected group of scientist working on it together for a summer”

Source Wikipedia 

In the recent past, definition, scope, concept and application of artificial intelligence was redefined!

And from all corners of the world, intelligent machines are seeing more applications and general acceptance.

Before long, a more constructive, acceptable and academic definition of artificial intelligence emerges;

 “In computer science, artificial intelligence (AI) sometimes called machine intelligence is intelligence demonstrated by machines, in contrast to the natural intelligence displayed by humans. Colloquially, the term ‘artificial intelligence’ is often used to describe machines (or computers) that mimic ‘Cognitive’ functions that humans associate with the human mind, such as ‘Learning’ and ‘’.

Source: Wikipedia

Any device, computer system, or just a system that function intelligently and independently may be said to possess intelligence and also an AI device.

Therefore, what we may think we know about artificial intelligence today, may change in a few years!

What is awaiting us in Artificial Intelligence Future is unfathomable. 

On the same note, AI is witnessing applications In fields like  Healthcare, Robotics, Marketing, Business Analytics etc.

How Artificial Intelligence Works?

Artificial Intelligence is a product of the machine's careful programming that allows the machines to copy or mimic intelligent human behaviour.

These Machines are then classified into the following;

Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI)

The careful programming of machines has to lead to some noticeable evolutionary trends in the field.

Here are some basic classification of AI;

What is Artificial Narrow Intelligence?;

It is also known as Weak AI.  a  is a set of codes, program, or software that can only perform within the set designed parameters.

The examples of AI that falls in these categories are;

Google Home

Google Assistant

Microsoft Cortana

An AI design to read the horoscope in the morning, give weather forecasts, can’t go outside it parameters to perform another task.

Narrow AI can only operate within a pre-determined, pre-defined range, even if it appears to be much more sophisticated in their Modus operandi.

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

In theory, a time will come when machines can performance task humans can. 

In this era is the era of Artificial General Intelligence.

AGI are machines that can perform any intellectual task that a human being can.

The era will be lit with machines becoming conscious, self-aware or sentient.

Man superiority is the mind because of its ability to think and become creative.

When a machine becomes self-aware, it is expected to be creative, have some sense of morality and to think outside the box.

Although achieving AGI is a tale in Hollywood, there is no clear evidence that it won’t happen anytime soon.

Will Artificial Intelligence kills Jobs in the Future?

The common and most suitable answer to this question is YES!

It does not matter if the job is low on the food chain or high on the food chain.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) may kill jobs and also create jobs.

AI might kill most jobs, slow down the economy and make most people that are ill-prepared for the changes that will come with the advancement in artificial intelligence in the not-so-distance future lose their jobs.

First, let’s consider facts;

The Industrial Revolution

The British Industrial Revolution which brings about a sudden change from agrarian and handicraft economy to an economy dominated by industry and machine manufacturing has led many losing their jobs.

The British textile mills killed a lot of Indian craftsman in the 19th and 20th century because better-equipped factories killed low capital enterprises.

To survive the damages that will be caused by AI is to find a technological asymmetry between the different parts of the economy that can cushion the loss of jobs.

Artificial Intelligence will change our Education System

We will need to change the education systems of our individual countries and the world at large to cope with the advancement of AI.

Children will be forced, coarse and indirectly bent to learning the trending and most lucrative job opportunity course out there!

Not just our education structures and curriculum, but even our infrastructures would have to be restructured to accommodate the rapid changes.

Creating a barrier between small and big business owners

Google, (Waymo) and Telsa to mention a few are already automating cars.

These means no ordinary man can just take a loan and start a new business and hope to make a living from it.

It does not just mean a barrier, but a time will come when you would be told that AI can design better than you can, and thus, your services are no longer needed.

Both low level and high-level jobs will be extinct!

Let me put it to you in a layman language.

Most repeatable jobs, jobs that can be easily automated will be replaced by machines.

Let’s consider a car manufacturing industry, if it can be easily automated, then no worker will be needed to be in the factory.

Machines will be cared for by other machines and produced other machines.

A driver will also be replaced by an AI, therefore, the car insurance company will be forced to shut down.

The insurance company will be forced to let go of their employees.

And these will increase the number of people in the streets looking for jobs.

Therefore, will artificial intelligence kills jobs in the future? It is not a question of if, but it is a question of when. 

From the automation of cars to disease diagnosis (Watson). 

Unless the future holds a deviant out from the obvious, then, jobs and man is on a brink of becoming extinct.

AI will create a generation that will suffer the turmoil of change, a generation that is ill-prepared to deal with the changes accompanied by rapid technological development.

  Artificial Intelligence Future

A future we wish will come swiftly with all the benefits life has to offer!

For now, Artificial General Intelligence and Artificial Narrow intelligence are in the field of sci-fi. 

We are still in the era of weak Intelligence. We don’t know what the future may hold for us.

Image credits: TheDigitalArtist via Pixabay

Our future may be destroyed due to human alter ego.

Probably, that, this assumed future we may not live to see.

The fact still remains, we are in uncharted territory when it comes to AI.

We may not see it, perceive it, and when it befalls us. It will be too late!

The moment we achieve General-AI, then it won't be long before we see the rise Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI).

In time, maybe, but for now, our fear is when ASI can't differentiate between what is morally right and wrong.

Who should be responsible for the unjust act of a difference engine?

On A Final Note

Artificial intelligence is the intelligence showed by a machine or a device.

As the name Artificial intelligence implies, it is an intelligence that is not natural.

It is copied,  manufactured or man-made in order to aid man in his endeavour of life.

Thus we should understand that there is a slim chance of man’s creation to become smarter and better than its creator.

When AI is developed, they are designed with definite parameters.

Their sole purpose is to help, make work easier, faster and with no error.

Contrary to popular opinion, AI is not build to replace human at their jobs nor in their homes.  

These systems are built with fail-safe and reboot capabilities so as to remain within designed parameters.

AI is created to give positive effects on our lifestyle, ease or pain, and help draw a conclusion based on available and well-structured data.

People all over the world are showing concern about the possibility of  AI becoming sentient!

And who should be responsible for any injury inflicted by a mindless machine? These and more, are the concerns of individuals.

Although we are still living in the dispensation of weak Artificial Intelligence, we should focus our energy on how we can benefit from AI.