Everything You Need to Know About AI: A Friendly, Not Scary Guide

First things first: What is AI?

At its core, AI is the ability of machines to learn and perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence. This can include anything from recognizing speech and images to playing games and driving cars.

“Some people call this artificial intelligence, but the reality is this technology will enhance us. So instead of artificial intelligence, I think we’ll augment our intelligence.”

—Ginni Rometty (former head of IBM)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a buzzword that’s been around for a while now. But what is it, really? And how can it help you in your everyday life?

AI-powered tutoring: With the rise of online learning, AI is being used to create personalized tutoring experiences that can adapt to each student’s needs and learning style. This can help teachers reach more students and provide more effective instruction.
AI-powered customer service: Small businesses can use AI to provide better customer service by automating routine tasks like answering emails and processing orders. This can free up time for business owners to focus on more important things, like growing their business.
AI-powered marketing: AI can help small businesses create more effective marketing campaigns by analyzing customer data and predicting which messages will resonate best with their target audience. This can help businesses reach more customers and increase sales.

Why should you care about AI?

Well, for starters, it’s already all around us. From the virtual assistants on our phones to the algorithms that power our social media feeds, AI is changing the way we live and work. And as the technology continues to advance, it’s only going to become more important.

But don’t worry, you don’t need to be a computer scientist to understand AI. In fact, some of the most exciting developments in the field are happening in areas like education and small business. Here are just a few examples:

10 terms to know to better understand AI

Artificial Intelligence: The general concept of machines acting in a way that simulates or mimics human intelligence.

Machine Learning: The way AI systems teach themselves.

Black Box: When artificial intelligence crosses over to the dark side. This is a term used to describe a situation where the inner workings of an AI system are not transparent or easily understood. In other words, the system is like a black box, where you can see the inputs and outputs, but you don’t know what’s happening inside. This can be a problem because it can make it difficult to understand how the system is making decisions or to identify errors or biases in the system.

Algorithm: A set of rules or instructions given to an AI, neural network, or other machines to help it learn on its own.

Supervised Machine Learning: A type of machine learning where the AI is trained on labeled data.

Unsupervised Machine Learning: A type of machine learning where the AI is trained on unlabeled data.

Deep Learning: A type of machine learning that uses neural networks with many layers.

Data Mining: The process of discovering patterns in large data sets.

Artificial Neural Network (ANN): A learning model created to act like the human brain.

Autonomous: A machine is described as autonomous if it can perform its task or tasks without needing human intervention.

A Short History of AI

AI has been around for a lot longer than you might think. In fact, the idea of machines that can think and learn like humans dates back to ancient Greece. But it wasn’t until the 20th century that the field of AI really started to take off.

In the 1950s and 60s, researchers began to develop the first AI programs. These early programs were limited in scope, but they laid the groundwork for the field as we know it today.

In the 1970s and 80s, AI experienced a boom in popularity. Researchers developed new algorithms and techniques that allowed machines to perform more complex tasks, like playing chess and recognizing speech.

But by the 1990s, interest in AI had waned. The technology was still too limited to be useful in most real-world applications, and many researchers had moved on to other fields.

It wasn’t until the 2010s that AI started to make a comeback. Thanks to advances in machine learning and big data, researchers were able to develop new AI systems that could learn from vast amounts of data and perform tasks that were once thought to be impossible.

Today, AI is all around us. From the virtual assistants on our phones to the self-driving cars on our roads, AI is changing the way we live and work. And as the technology continues to advance, it’s only going to become more important.

So there you have it: everything you need to know about AI right now. Whether you’re a teacher looking to improve your students’ learning experience or a small business owner looking to grow your business, AI has something to offer. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll even have AI-powered blog post writers! But most likely, Blog writers will just get even better and they will have more time to relax.

Did you enjoy this blog? I was created by the team at Wedge, an Atlanta based nonprofit that helps educate people on emerging technology. Contact us to learn more! https://wedge.center