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The Hype of AI

  • Apr 3, 2022
  • 4 min read

Updated: Jul 20, 2022

“All I’m offering is the truth. Nothing more.”


Do you remember this famous scene from the movie The Matrix, where Morbius asked Neo to choose between a red pill or a blue pill?


The movie’s plot explores a post-apocalyptic world taken over by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Today, that movie is more relevant than ever as AI is evolving, and we are moving to a new age of technology.



What is AI?

Artificial Intelligence is a branch of computer science focused on simulating human intelligence processes so a machine or computer can perform actions that require human intellect. AI is concerned with building intelligent machines that can learn from experience and act accordingly.


How does AI work?

AI works by providing large amounts of training data to the software. The software then analyzes the data with a combination of intelligent algorithms and iterative processing to learn the patterns and features. Finally, the software uses these patterns and features to make predictions and act in specific situations.


One example could be a chatbot that has analyzed thousands of text exchanges between people. And now, it can simulate a human-like conversation based on the data.


Examples of Artificial Intelligence

AI is slowly becoming a part of our everyday lives. Some common examples of artificial intelligence include:

  • Conversational marketing bot

  • self-driving cars

  • Natural language processing tools

  • Manufacturing robots

  • Smart home devices

  • Facial detection and recognition

  • Autocorrect

  • Smart assistants like Siri

  • AI autopilot used in commercial flights

What types of AI are there?

AI can be divided into four types, from smart software that can perform specific tasks to sentient systems yet to be created.


Reactive Machines

Reactive AI is programmed to provide a predictable response according to the input it receives. These machines do not have any memory and only perform certain tasks. This type of AI cannot learn from experience.


Limited Memory

Limited Memory AI can use past experiences to make better future decisions. For example, self-driving cars use this type of AI. They use historical data to make better judgments and decisions in the future.


Theory of Mind

We don’t have the scientific knowledge and means to reach this level of AI yet. Theory of Mind is a psychological term. Applying it to AI means that AI can understand human emotions and how these emotions affect behavior. This allows the AI to predict how a person/animal will act.


Self-Awareness

Self-aware AI would understand its existence. This type of AI will have a human-level consciousness. They will be aware of themselves, their surroundings, and other creatures or AI around them. This type of AI will understand the emotions a person feels and how it affects one’s behavior. It might also feel emotions like attachment or resentment.


Pros and Cons of AI

Just like every other technology, artificial intelligence has its pros and cons. However, the pros of AI outweigh the cons by a considerable margin.


Let’s understand them.

Pros

  • AI can absorb large amounts of data daily, which can be overwhelming for a human.

  • AI helps with the automation of repetitive tasks.

  • AI-powered chatbots are always virtually available.

  • AI reduced the time taken to process huge chunks of data and perform tasks based on that knowledge.

  • AI can perform consistent actions without any flaws.

  • AI helps with effective communication through virtual assistants.

  • AI can make faster decisions compared to humans.

Cons

  • AI is not creative. It can only act based on the data fed to it.

  • Creating a machine that simulates human intelligence requires high costs. Hence, AI is expensive.

  • There are a limited number of qualified engineers to build AI tools.

  • AI has no ethics. A machine simulating human intelligence and emotions might not differentiate between morally right and wrong concepts.

  • Loss of jobs for human workers is also considered a con by many.

AGI vs. Narrow AI

AI can be classified into two different categories.

  1. AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) or Strong AI

  2. Narrow AI or Weak AI

Let's understand them in detail.


Strong AI

AGI or Strong AI is a machine that can completely simulate human-level intelligence. These machines can use their experience and fuzzy logic to find solutions to an unfamiliar problem.


Deus Ex Machina (The Matrix movie) and Skynet (The Terminator movie) are examples of Strong AI. However, experts believe we do not need to worry about such scenarios (where machines become intelligent and enslave humans).


Weak AI

Narrow AI or Weak AI is designed to focus on a specific task. These types of machines simulate human intelligence but at a significantly lower level. They are trained to provide solutions to specific tasks and have limitations.


The AI used in image recognition software and chatbots falls under this category.


Some other examples include:

  • Industrial robots

  • Google Assistant

  • Google Search

  • Amazon’s Alexa

Narrow AI has seen numerous breakthroughs in the last decade and is powered by Machine Learning and Deep Learning.


Future of AI

AI has evolved and taken over most of the world’s day-to-day tasks. From smart assistants in our homes to self-driving cars and industrial robots to healthcare systems, AI is everywhere.


With breakthroughs in technology every year, AI will continue to evolve and power more industries by automating tasks and reducing time consumption. However, the full power of AI is yet to be seen, and we can only expect more in the near future.

 
 
 

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