What is ‘Artificial Intelligence’ (AI)? — Simply Explained!

It is a discipline of building computer programs with the aim of performing tasks which generally requires intelligence when done by humans. However, intelligent tasks for which a decision procedure is known (e.g. inverting matrices) are generally excluded, whereas the perceptual tasks which does not involve intelligence such as seeing for example are generally included. For this reason, AI is better defined by indicating its range. Examples of such tasks tackled in the field of AI are game playing, automated reasoning, machine learning, natural-language understanding, planning, speech understanding, and theorem solving.

Perceptual tasks (e.g. seeing and hearing) involves much more computation when compared to introspection. Because in humans, computing perceptual tasks is unconscious in nature. This is the reason which makes it hard to simulate. AI has got more success in intellectual tasks (e.g. game playing and theorem proving) when compared to perceptual tasks. Sometimes computer programs are created with the intention to simulate human behaviours to help psychologists and neuroscientists in their research. Sometimes for solving problems in technological application space. AI research in both theoretical and applied aspects have contributed a lot to Computer science.

The various types of computational techniques that originated from AI are:

• augmented transition networks
• means/end analysis
• production rule systems
• resolution
• semantic networks
• heuristic search

By the way, philosophers have an interest from a long time in this question: ‘Can a computer think?’ This question has brought two different schools of thought. Weak AI: computers are only expected to simulate thoughts and intelligence. Strong AI: computers can actually do cognitive tasks just like humans. Though, this is a complex topic that has received new interest with a focus on consciousness.