Demystifying the Mystical: My Foray into the World of AI
Week 2: Man meets Anaconda
On a misty Saturday morning, I carried my laptop, dusted it, packed my bag, and headed straight to Malhub. Yes, Malhub is the place where the future is unfolding; it is the arena where some set of people are being told that the world of Artificial intelligence can be dominated by African geeks. It’s all about demystification! The flyer of the event — that is to run for fourteen weeks on Saturdays — has been around lately, it abounds on social media and even the trees of the Savannah have heard about AI Saturdays Ilorin. The agenda is simple and direct; to clear the mist from our clouds; demystify the mystical concepts of Artificial Intelligence and Machine learning; prove that one needs not to be a genius before he can instruct computers.
When I stepped into the hall, I couldn’t help but get overwhelmed by laptops’ screen and business-minded faces seated and deeply engulfed in their quest to code their way into the future and build the next Sophia or Cortana. I couldn’t help but feel scared by the program running on those screens. It was an anaconda! Prior to that moment, I know anaconda to be a big, scary, and destructive monster, and python used to be its cohort in the snake family. Both are detrimental! It turns out that both anaconda and python have been stereotyped. Here is an Anaconda that saves lives and a Python that speaks the language computer understands
Thing = “animals”
if thing == “animals”:
print (“i am a programmer”)
It doesn’t speak Parsel. Wonder what Parsel is? Well, J K Rowling gave it meaning in her famous book ‘Harry Potter’. Embedded on Anaconda are Jupyter (not Jupiter the infamous planet), Spyder, and a plethora of tools that ease life for computer companions. I quickly found myself a seat in Noah’s Ark and joined the league of the next set of dominators.
The instructor stepped forward to signal the commencement of the class. He addressed the budding programmers and reinforced the agenda of AI Saturdays. He took the class through what was taught a week before and also invited the co-instructor (Daramola Joseph) to take us through the basics of Python. The demystification was about to begin!
The co-instructor took the mantle and introduced Python, he cleared the clogs covering Python and made ahead to writing some Python codes. At first, it was like he was doing magic, chanting some words that are closely related to those chanted by Merlin when trying to finish off Morgana. Eventually, the light dawned and we learned numerous data types in Python.
He spoke Parsel until a break was announced.
After the break, the Instructor (Adnan) dived into the basics of Python and explained further what has been explained prior to the break. He explained vividly the true application of other elements.
He rounded up by explaining the meaning of list comprehension. I was startled, what a masterpiece that was!
It then became very clear to me the meaning of Master Yuan-Ma quote that says “below the surface of the Machine, the program moves. Without efforts, it expands and contracts. In general harmony, electrons scatter and regroup. The forms on the monitor are but ripples on the water, the essence stays invisibly below”. And behind that is a programmer who creates the program that moves “ expands and contracts “, behind that is a nerve that jars constantly and a mind that thinks critically to solve a problem and ease life for others.
The experience from that Saturday was magical and overwhelming, no words can brilliantly capture my encounter. Although I am not new to programming, I am very much new to such an environment where I mingle with like minds and coders.
