Ken's Corner
It’s been the stuff of science fiction for decades, but lately it’s become either the savior of the technological world or the boogey-man. It’s getting hard to avoid using it; in fact, you’ve been using rudimentary versions of it for years. So what is Artificial Intelligence anyway?
For definitions, go to an expert. IBM on its website says, “Artificial intelligence (AI) is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy.” In layman’s terms, it’s creating a machine that reasons and problem solves in the same manner as a human. Perhaps the most shining example of AI and its uses is the self-driving car.
The first use of the actual term was in 1955 by John McCarthy who was hosting a workshop at Dartmouth University for other scientists leading the field of computers. The idea itself is much older. The Greek term “automaton” means “acting of one’s own will.” One of the earliest records of such a device referred to a mechanical pigeon in 400 BC built by a friend of the philosopher Plato.
Artificial Intelligence has grown in fits and starts since then. The driverless car, for example, is not a recent invention. The first was built in 1986 by university students in Germany. It was capable of speeds up to 55 mph as long as there were no other obstacles or human drivers on the road.
Since then, AI has blossomed into everyday use in many applications. NASA landed two rovers on Mars that operated without human guidance in 2003, just a year after the Roomba became available.
Today, computers are becoming more and more AI assisted. Advertising on social media and streaming services are controlled by algorithms that decide if the ad might be relevant to you based on your browsing habits, while search engines have always been a rudimentary form of artificial Intelligence. Some anti-virus programs now come with AI guidance and Intel’s latest line of processors contain Artificial Intelligence components.
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