What is AI?
March 17, 2024
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category: Technology
AI, we all seem to hear the term regularly now on television and other media sources. But what is AI and what's all the fuss about?
Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI, is a field of computer science that focuses on the development of intelligent machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making, and language translation. Okay, that's a mouthful. In simple terms, it means AI is like teaching a computer to learn things and make decisions in the same way we do as humans. It's really smart and can help us with lots of things, like talking to us or advising us when making decisions.
At its core, AI involves the creation of code and computer programs that enable computers to learn from their decisions. Based on large amounts of data, the computer will slowly learn. In some respects, the computer could be compared to that of the learning skills of a young child. This is done through a process called machine learning, where machines are trained on large amounts of data that identify patterns to help them make decisions based on that data and previous experiences.
AI has been around for decades, but more recent developments in machine learning and the availability of large amounts of data have led to advancements in the field. Some of the most exciting developments in AI include the ability to create virtual assistants, chatbots, and other intelligent systems that can interact with humans in natural ways.
AI is being used in areas like healthcare, finance, and transportation to assist in automation processes, improve efficiency, and reduce costs.
However, as with any new technology, there are also concerns about the ethical and social implications of AI. As machines become more intelligent and autonomous, there are questions about the impact on jobs, privacy, and security. It is important for researchers, policymakers, and society as a whole to carefully consider these issues and ensure that AI is developed and used in a responsible and ethical way.
AI is a rapidly growing field with incredible potential to transform our world. With continued research and development, we can expect to see even more exciting advancements in the years to come.
Chat GPT
ChatGPT is fairly new on the scene and is a large language model created by OpenAI. It uses deep learning algorithms(code) to generate human-like responses to text inputs. In other words, you can ask chatGPT a question and you will receive a response that mimics a standard human response. In effect giving you the impression that there is a real person replying to your question.
It's based on the GPT-3.5 architecture and has been trained on a vast amount of text data to learn patterns in language and generate natural-sounding responses. ChatGPT can be used for a variety of tasks, such as answering questions, generating text, and even having conversations with users. Every day thousands of people use chatGPT and as a direct result, the data it collects and learns from will continue to grow exponentially, and with it, the ability to learn.
AI is a rapidly changing field that will continue to gain popularity as people become more aware of the potential benefits it can provide.
There is also a stark warning that accompanies the potential benefits of AI. Certainly, there are some potential downsides to using AI:
Bias: AI models could potentially push and even amplify existing biases. Those used to train or program the AI may cause discrimination.
Lack of empathy: AI lacks the ability to feel empathy or human-like emotions, making it challenging to interpret human feelings and social cues via conversation, body language, etc.
Security risks: As AI becomes increasingly integrated into our everyday lives, processes, and decision-making, trusting more in AI for security could have the potential to lead to security breaches, data theft, or other harmful outcomes
Job displacement: As AI becomes more sophisticated, it has the potential to replace human workers, leading to job loss and economic disruption.
Ethical concerns: As AI becomes more advanced, there are concerns about its ethical use, particularly in areas such as autonomous weapons or deep fakes. Most recently fake videos generated by AI were circulated depicting Donald Trump being arrested and attempting to run from the police.
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It's worth noting that many of these downsides are not inherent to AI itself but rather the way it is designed, implemented, and regulated. With appropriate attention to these issues, many of these downsides can be mitigated.
