Introduction
Artificial intelligence is a blooming technology that allows machines to simulate human behaviour. In general, it is nothing but a machine’s intelligence (without any emotions or consciousness). Artificial intelligence (AI) can also be defined as the study of intelligent agents.
What are Intelligent Agents?
Intelligent agents are autonomous programs that can make decisions based on user inputs, experiences, and the environment. Robots stand as a reference for intelligent agents.
The History of AI
The first attempt at what is now recognized as artificial intelligence was made by McCullouch and Pitts in 1943 with a formal design for artificial neurons.
The exploration of AI began at a workshop at Dartmouth College in 1956, where the term “Artificial Intelligence” was coined by John McCarthy. The members of the workshop – Allen Newell, Herbert Simon, John McCarthy, Marvin Minsky and Arthur Samuel became the founders and leaders of the artificial intelligence research.
In the late 1990’s and early 21st century, the use of AI gradually started gaining momentum in logistics, data mining, medical diagnosis and other areas.
Types of AI
AI is classified into 7 types based on its ability and functionality:
Functionality-based AI:
1. Reactive Machines: This is a basic type of AI that sees the world directly and reacts on what it sees. The system is completely reactive and does not have any past memory or experience. Example: IBM’s Deep Blue – A chess playing supercomputer that defeated the chess grandmaster Gary Kasparov.
2. Limited Memory: These are copies of reactive machines with historical data, which helps in decision making. Most systems used today are limited memory systems. These systems use deep learning. Example: Image Recognition – Here the machine is trained using thousands of images and object names. Later, when an object/image is scanned, the machine recognises it based on the data used during training.
3. Theory of Mind: These systems represent advance technology and exist only in concepts. These systems require understanding human emotions and behaviour. Example: Kismet – A robot that understands and reciprocates emotions.
4. Self Aware: The ideology behind self aware machines is that machines can think on their own and destroy humans. It is currently impossible, but still in the bucket list of scientists. Example: Robots in AI movies that understand what self perseverance is and can think about ending humanity.
Ability-based AI:
1. Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI): It is also termed as ‘Weak AI’. It is the most used and accomplished form of AI in the tech world. Example: Voice Recognition – Machines created to react to voice commands.
2. Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) : It is also termed as ‘Strong AI’. It aims to allow machines to mirror human intelligence. Example: Scenarios in sci-fi movies.
3. Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI): It is the most powerful form of AI, one that could possibly wipe humans. These machines do not intend to replicate human behaviour but to be better than humans at everything they do.
Areas of Impact :
a. Positive impacts of AI on society:
AI can drastically improve our work efficiency and can supplement the work we do. When AI works on repetitive or complicated tasks, it frees up human resources to do work that they are better at i.e the creative tasks. If humans are working on something that is more engaging and less repetitive, it could increase their happiness and job satisfaction.
Examples :
1. Health Care: With improved monitoring and diagnostic capability, AI can vastly influence healthcare. By improving the way healthcare facilities operate, AI could reduce operating costs and save money. AI can have a major impact on patient care with personalised treatment plans.
2. Transport: AI can increase productivity by automating transportation. Freed from the stress of commuting, people can spend more time doing things that matter.
3. Criminal Tracing: AI can help in uncovering criminal activity and solving crime scenes quickly using facial recognition techniques as commonly as it’s done using fingerprints.
4. Digital Assistants: AI helps humans use digital assistants for simpler tasks like calculation and complicated tasks like home automation.
5. Shopping: AI helps in web searches of products, social media advertising, and assists chat bots. All of this makes shopping easier.
b. Negative impacts of AI on society:
1. The main challenge for humans will be to earn a livelihood, as they will lose their jobs to machines.
2. Finding the culprit in case an automatic vehicle hurts a pedestrian.
3. Ensuring that AI does not cross ethical and legal boundaries while doing its job.
4. Ensuring that human privacy is not compromised as AI evolves.
5. Intentional or unintentional bias in results, as algorithms are human built.
Advantages of AI
1. AI reduces the time needed to perform a task,
2. AI can work 24/7 without interruption and breakdown.
3. AI enables faster and smarter decision making.
4. AI can be deployed across industries for mass production.
5. AI can help reduce manual errors.
6. AI can be used for major repetitive and complicated tasks.
Disadvantages of AI
1. AI requires regular updates of hardware and software products, which is cost intensive.
2. If AI takes over most of the human tasks, people may become lazy.
3. AI can increase unemployment if humans do not find alternate creative tasks and jobs.
4. With AI, emotions and out of the box thinking are both compromised.
The future of AI
Artificial intelligence has already started augmenting human capabilities in various ways. AI is being used in stock exchanges, solving environmental problems, manufacturing, construction, etc. It is believed that AI will also take up various hazardous jobs in the future.
Artificial intelligence and humans go hand in hand, The Future of AI depends on humans and the future of humans depends on AI. Whether or not AI is good for humans is debatable. It is difficult to predict what exactly Artificial intelligence will bring to us in the future, but it is believed that AI will ultimately create more job opportunities than it is diminishing. Interacting with AI might become a day-to-day activity for humans. These improvements can bring about economic and social growth. AI definitely holds the potential to help society progress. The possibilities and probabilities of AI are endless. In the near future, AI can be used as intelligent, adaptable, and intentional systems without compromising human integrity.
Reference link for “The Past of AI” : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence