Artificial intelligence is a technology, or rather a direction of modern science, which studies ways to teach a computer, robotic technology, and an analytical system to think intelligently like a person. Actually, the dream of intelligent robot assistants arose long before the invention of the first computers.
People in the mid-50s of the last century were greatly impressed by the capabilities of computers, especially the ability of computers, to accurately perform many tasks simultaneously. Scientists and writers immediately had fantastic ideas about thinking machines in their heads. It was during this period that the first artificial intelligence technologies began to emerge.
Research in AI is carried out by studying the mental abilities of a person and translating the results obtained into the field of computers. Thus, artificial intelligence receives information from a wide variety of sources and disciplines. This is informatics, mathematics, linguistics, psychology, biology, mechanical engineering. Computers use machine learning technology to simulate human intelligence based on massive amounts of data.
The main goals of AI are fairly transparent:
Creation of analytical systems that have intelligent behavior, can independently or under the supervision of a person learn, make predictions and build hypotheses based on the data set.
The implementation of human intelligence in a machine is the creation of robotic assistants that can behave like humans: think, learn, understand and perform assigned tasks.
AI principles
Before describing the technological principles, without which the development of artificial intelligence is unthinkable, it is worth getting acquainted with the ethical laws of robotics. They were brought out in 1942 by Isaac Asimov in his novel Round Dance:
A robot or a system with artificial intelligence cannot harm a person by its action or by its inaction to allow harm to a person.
The robot must obey the orders it receives from the person, except for those that are contrary to the First Law.
The robot must take care of its safety, if it does not contradict the First and Second Laws.
Prior to the publication of Asimov’s novel, artificial intelligence was associated with the Frankenstein image of Mary Shelley. An artificially created semblance of a person with reason is rebelling against people. The same horror story was transferred to the famous Hollywood blockbuster “The Terminator”.
An interesting fact is that in 1986 Isaac Asimov added another point to the laws of robotics. The writer preferred to call it “zero”:
A robot cannot harm a person, unless it proves that in the end it (harm) will be beneficial for all of humanity.
Having dealt with ethical laws, let’s move on to the technological principles of artificial intelligence:
Machine learning (ML) is the principle of AI development based on self-learning algorithms. Human participation in this approach is limited to loading an array of information into the “memory” of the machine and setting goals. There are several ML methods: teaching with a teacher – a person sets a specific goal, wants to test a hypothesis or confirm a pattern.
A neural network is a mathematical model that simulates the structure and functioning of the nerve cells of a living organism. Accordingly, ideally, it is a self-learning system. If we transfer the principle to a technological basis, then a neural network is a set of processors that perform a single task in a large-scale project. In other words, a supercomputer is a network of many ordinary computers.
Deep learning is considered a separate principle of AI, since this method is used to detect patterns in huge amounts of information. For such an unbearable work for a person, the computer uses advanced techniques.
Cognitive computing is one area of AI that studies and implements the processes of natural human-computer interaction, like human interaction. The goal of artificial intelligence technology is to fully imitate human activities of a higher order – speech, imaginative and analytical thinking.
Computer vision is a direction of AI used to recognize graphic and video images. Today, machine intelligence can process and analyze graphical data and interpret information in accordance with its environment.
Synthesized speech. Computers can already understand, analyze and reproduce human speech. We can already control programs, computers and gadgets using speech commands. For example, Siri or Google assistant, Alice in Yandex and others.
In addition, it is difficult to imagine the existence of artificial intelligence without powerful GPUs, which are the heart of interactive data processing. To integrate AI into various programs and devices, API technology is needed – application programming interfaces. Using the API, you can easily add artificial intelligence technologies to any computer systems: home security, smart home, CNC equipment, and more.
Sphere of use of AI
Artificial intelligence is gradually entering all branches of human activity, making conventional software systems intelligent:
Medicine and healthcare. Computer systems keep records of patients, help in decoding diagnostic results. For example, images of ultrasound, X-ray, tomograph and other medical equipment. Intelligent systems can even identify a disease based on the presence of signs in a patient and suggest optimal treatment options. In the Google app store, you can find programs that help you to live a healthy life. These apps measure your heart rate and body temperature when you touch the phone’s display with your fingers to determine a person’s stress level and provide tips on how to reduce it.
Online retail sales. Many people are already familiar with relevant ads from Google and Yandex. With its help, retailers offer goods and services in accordance with the interests of the user. For example, you visited an online swimwear store, looked at some models, read the characteristics, and so on. After leaving the store, you will see advertisements for swimwear on other sites for a while. Blocks “similar products” in online stores work on a similar principle. Analytics systems study the user’s behavioral metrics, determine their buying habits and show relevant (in their opinion) offers.
Politics. Intelligent machines helped Barack Obama win the second presidential election. For his campaign, the then-incumbent US President hired the best team of data science professionals. They used the power of intelligent machines to figure out the best day, state, and audience for Obama to speak. According to experts, this gave an advantage of 10-12%.
Industry. Artificial intelligence can analyze data from different production areas and regulate the load on equipment. In addition, intelligent machines are used to predict demand across various industries.
Game industry, education. Artificial intelligence is actively used by game creators. Smart machines and robotics are gradually being introduced into the educational processes of most states.
