Artificial Intelligence – What It Is and Why It Matters?

Coined somewhere in 1956, the term Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the buzz word today. All thanks to advanced computing storage & powers, amplified data volumes and deep-seated algorithms. The early AI research entrenched from the 1950s, when the entire focus was kept on topics like symbolic methods and problem-solving. However, later in the 1960s, the United States Department of Defense became curious about AI and started to train their computers to mimic human cognition. Further, in 1970, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) completed its project of street mapping. And in 2003, it also produced Intelligent Personal Assistance, long before Alexa, Cortana, and Siri that are the household names nowadays.
This early research paved the path for formal reasoning and automation that we see in the modern world today.  Today, it includes smart decision supporting systems and intellectual searching systems, that are designed to augment and complement human abilities. Although novels and Hollywood movies based on science fictions depict AI as the robot that is just like human with some superpowers taking over the world. However, the real evolution and impact of AI is not that scary and uncontrollable; rather, it is way smarter, helpful, and valuable.

What Is Artificial Intelligence?

Computers have been birdbrained for 50 years because when you start writing a code, you were required to begin from a blank slate. Computers before AI needed to be guided line by line, and call for instructions for every single task they perform. They need to be taught for everything, whether it was error management or choosing a color and design specification. However, with the advent of AI, it took all these painstaking to its head by mimicking the mental functions performed by computer operators (human).
AI has truly changed our lives, ranging from self-driven cars to robotic waitrons and personal assistance are praiseworthy innovations. There are two types of AI i.e., Narrow Artificial Intelligence (NAI) and General Artificial Intelligence (GAI). Systems based on narrow AI are only taught to perform a specific task without any explicit programming. Virtual assistants like Siri, Cortana, and Alexa are common examples of language or speech recognition, whereas self-driven cars are examples of the visual recognition system. On the other hand, General AI is very different. It is the type of adaptable human intellect, and hence it is relatively more flexible and can learn to perform vastly different tasks.

Why It Matters?

There are multiple reasons why AI matters so much in the modern world. Artificial intelligence systematizes discovery and constant learning through data. AI is completely different from robotic, hardware-driven automation, and it reliably performs the automated tasks without any fatigue and with complete reliability. Combination of huge data volumes with smart machinery has contributed to improving many technologies both at workplaces and at home. With the help of the neural networks, AI undertakes in-depth data analysis that has maybe concealed under many data layers. Deep neural networks help AI to attain incredible accuracy. For instance, Google Search, Alexa, and Google Photos are founded on deep learning. They provide us with more accurate with their increased used. Similarly, in the field of medical and healthcare, the techniques of AI including image classification, deep learning and object recognition, etc. are now being used for the detection and diagnosis of Cancer in reports of MRIs, exactly like a highly qualified radiologist do. Additionally, AI let the data program itself by adapting progressive learning algorithms.
In conclusion, AI has become a fundamental part of our daily life. Today, everyone is using AI for reducing their work pressure and generating work lead for better performance and productivity. And the day is not too far when everything will be machine-based, and it will completely take over the manual workload and processing. But, it is strongly believed that this is just a beginning for AI technology, and there is yet a lot more to come.