Honesty, I used to believe that AI only included robot taking over the world. Then I did actually bite into it – underestimated so, was I. To make it non-technical, I would like to break down what AI is, its origin, and its functionality.
Table of Contents
What is AI and How Does It Work?
An A.I, or artificial intelligence, is simply the fact that machines are capable of doing things that require the mental power of a human brain. We are talking about experience and learning, identifying patterns and comprehending what you say, problem solving.
And this is where the difference is found: your everyday computer program then runs according to the strict rules that a programmer constructed. AI? It reads between the lines and figures out everything by itself. It is similar to the distinction between taking recipes straight and licking and adjusting.
The origin of AI (And the people Who own it)
The AI narrative began many years ago in 1956 during a workshop in Dartmouth College. One guy by the name of John McCarthy the same person who coined the term artificial intelligence gathered with other intelligent individuals such as Marvin Minsky, Allen Newell, and Herbert Simon. They sincerely thought that they can create machines capable of thinking.
Fun fact: they were wildly positive. They believed they would break it during a summer. Spoiler alert its still a work in progress over 70 years later.
The early days were rough. Computers were slow, costly and unable to store a lot of information. AI experienced what scientists refer to as AI winters, which are periods where the funding is stagnant due to the failure of the technology to fulfill its claims.
Then the internet happened. We suddenly had mountains of data, computers could be made powerful for less, and suddenly AI was actually being used.
How Does AI Actually Work?
Okay, those are the interesting ones. AI operates a concept known as machine learning. I will do it step by step:
Step 1: Feed It Data
You feed the AI system a lot of examples. Want it to recognize cats? Present it with thousands of cat pictures.
Step 2: Pattern Recognition
The AI examines all of that data searching patterns. It is simply a question of, What is a cat? Pointy ears? Whiskers? That judgmental stare?”
Step 3: Training Time
The system corrects itself when it makes errors. Present it to a dog with a label that is a cat, and it will learn to do it better next time.
Step 4: Testing
You challenge it with new material which it has never encountered before. Is it able to see a cat which it has not been trained on?
Step 5: Real-World Use
You are then allowed to release it into the real things when it is good enough (filtering your photo library or next up).
The coolest part? The AI improves over time. The more data it is exposed to, the better it is.
The Neural Network: The Brain Behind the Machine.
The first time I heard of neural networks, I believed that it was way too complex. Yet here is the basic explanation: they are roughly inspired by the functioning of our brains.
And that you have billions of neurons that are joined together in your brain? Artificial neurons organized into layers approximate the same a neural network does. These layers act as a channel through which information flows and each layer processes and transmits what it learned.
This is the reason AI has become able to do crazy things such as:
- Know what you are telling Siri or Alexa.
- Live translation of languages.
- Generate pictures of a text description.
- Drive cars (well, working on it)
- Beat humans at complex games
What AI Can Do Right Now
Last year, I tried a variety of AI tools, and, frankly speaking, this experience was like magic. Here’s what’s already here:
Smart Assistants: Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant know your voice and actually reply to your assistance (most of the time).
Recommendations: Have you ever wondered why Netflix shows you that you would love that random program? AI examines your habits of viewing, and recommends others with similar tastes.
You can image your Pakistan Recognition: Mom, you have 4 pictures of your Pakistan. AI being a sort of images among thousands.
Language Translation: Google Translates is artificial intelligence that does not simply change words, but rather comprehends the context. That is why now even translations make a sense.
Healthcare: With AI, physicians can identify disease in X-rays and MRIs quicker than those can be observed by the human eye.
The Various Types You must Be familiar with.
Worth knowing are two kinds:
Narrow AI (the one we currently possess): Super specialized. ChatGPT writes way better, cannot drive a car. Facial recognition identifies faces but fails to suggest movies. All the AIs are good at a single thing.
General AI (the future): This is the sci-fi stuff – AI is capable of any task that a human being can perform. We’re not there yet. Other analysts believe possibly 20-30 years, whilst still others believe it will not happen at all.
Why This Matters to You
This is the bargain, AI is no longer in the future. It is in your phone, your applications, your search results, and likely your employment. It is best to know how AI works and what it is so that you can use it more judicially and recognize natural versus hyped.
Then, as a bonus, should you consider studying this stuff, free courses are offered at institutions like MIT and courses offered by places like an introductory program at the University of Helsinki, which teach this stuff without needing you to have a degree in the field of computer science.
My Take
I spent months trying to figure out what is AI and how it works, but here is what I know: it is strong, it is already everywhere, and it is not magic, but math, data and massively smart programming.
Will it conquer the world? Probably not. Will it transform our working and living lives? Already happening. The trick is to know it sufficiently to make clever use of it, and perhaps even create something interesting by yourself.
The AI narrative is yet to be composed. And honestly? That’s the exciting part.
Read:
AI vs Machine Learning: What’s the Real Difference?
What is the Difference Between Deep Learning and Machine Learning
All ChatGPT Models: Which One Should You Actually Use?
I’m a technology writer with a passion for AI and digital marketing. I create engaging and useful content that bridges the gap between complex technology concepts and digital technologies. My writing makes the process easy and curious. and encourage participation I continue to research innovation and technology. Let’s connect and talk technology! LinkedIn for more insights and collaboration opportunities: