What Are the Different Types of Artificial Intelligence?
There are four different types of Artificial Intelligence. Reactive machines, limited memory, the theory of mind, and limited awareness. All of which are capable of different capacity of actions.
The first type we will focus on is the reactive machines. The reactive machines are what the average people are familiar with. Reactive machines are able to neither form memory nor use past experiences to assist with the current one. Software and systems such as Siri, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, etc… are to be considered a reactive machine since their functions are based solely on what the host is asking or demanding. Hence the name, reactive machine. Reactive machines do not have any sort of feelings or minds of their own.
The second type of A.I. is called limited memory. What limited memory can do is store previous data and use that as the outcome for their new tasks. A great example of this would be a self-driving/ self-operating vehicle. These vehicles are programmed to perform tasks such as “stop”, “go”, “turn left”, “turn right”, while having an address/ destination also programmed into their system. The limited memory A.I. would then be able to use sensory software which again, would already be installed to be able to carry out these tasks and get the passenger to their destination safely.
The third type of A.I. is the theory of mind. This type and the next are both the types of artificial intelligence that many people become uneasy about. The theory of mind artificial intelligence allows this system to create and feel the thoughts and emotions of their own. The final type or fourth grouping of artificial intelligence is known as self-awareness. Self-awareness is just how it sounds. This type of artificial intelligence is able to create their own personality and their own identity. They would be aware of their wants and needs, their likes and dislikes, their emotions. They would in a sense be just like you and me. If you have ever seen any movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you could connect a self-aware A.I. to the character Jarvis, who literally is a self-aware A.I.(who started off as a theory of mind A.I.) and you could relate the robot named Friday to a theory of mind artificial intelligence technology.
Do not fear, we are milestones away from being at the theory of mind and self-awareness stage. But it could be foreseen as the end goal for scientists to create artificial intelligence which is able to be self-aware and practically be their own human on a day to day basis.