Introduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the development of machines that simulate human intelligence, both in action and thought. It is a revolutionary branch of computer science that applies multiple approaches. Examples of AI technologies widely used today include planning, speech recognition, learning, and problem-solving. AI is common in the business and technology industries owing to its versatility. Applications such as Siri, Cogito, Netflix, Pandora, Boxever, Alexa, and Watson are examples of the successful incorporation of AI with other technologies for personal and professional use.
How It Works
The major goals of artificial intelligence include reasoning, perception, and learning. Therefore, machine learning is used to mimic human thinking and behavior. This is achieved by combining large datasets that contain programmed patterns of recognition with fast processing and intelligent algorithms (Ahmet 43). AI incorporates many methods, technologies, and theories to achieve its goals. The most common subfields include machine learning, computer vision, cognitive computing, a neutral network, and natural language processing (NLP) (Ahmet 44). Its successful application is enabled by numerous technologies such as the internet of things, advanced algorithms, graphical processing units, and application programming interfaces (APIs).
Categories
AI can be classified into two major categories, namely narrow AI and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI). Narrow AI, (also referred to as weak AI) has a limited scope of operation. Its main focus is the exceptional performance of single tasks (Kaplan 55). Examples include Google search, image recognition software, self-driving cars, and personal assistants. AGI also referred to as strong AI, has a wider scope of operation and is the closest form of simulation to human intelligence (Kaplan 56). For instance, it can combine human thinking and reasoning with computational functionalities to perform tasks that individuals can handle and others that they cannot.
Applications
AI is applied differently in various sectors and industries. For example, in the healthcare industry, it is used for dosing patients, conducting treatments, and for certain surgical procedures (Ahmet 54). In the financial industry, it is used to monitor financial activities to detect fraudulent transactions (Marr 76). Moreover, they are used in streamlining digital trading by facilitating the process of supply and demand estimation (Kaplan 64). Other examples of common applications include self-driving cars, speech recognition, art creation, medical diagnosis, search engines, online assistants, and energy storage.
Challenges
AI is a revolutionary technology that is changing industries. However, it has numerous challenges that render its successful application difficult and risky. The main challenges include high demand for computing power, trust deficit, limited knowledge, data privacy and security, data scarcity, and bias (Kaplan 75). The acceptance of AI depends primarily on how well people understand its functioning. Software malfunctions and the potential to overpower humans have created a culture of distrust for the technology (Marr 89). Researchers must solve these challenges to develop effective and safe AI technologies that improve the quality of human lives.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence has been presented as a technology that will not replace human beings, but help them perform tasks better. The simulation of human intelligence in machines has existed for many decades and it has been hotly debated. It uses data and algorithms to mimic human thinking and actions. It is widely used in the health care industry, business, education, and automotive industry. Despite its numerous application, it has several challenges that include limited knowledge, trust deficit, and the probability of software malfunction. If applied properly, AI has the potential to revolutionize many sectors and industries.
Works Cited
Ahmet, Christina. Artificial Intelligence: How Advanced Machine Learning will Shape the Future of the World. Shockwave Publishing, 2018.
Kaplan, Jerry. Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Pres, 2016.
Marr, Bernard. Artificial Intelligence in Practice: How 50 Successful Companies Used AI and Machine Learning to Solve Problems. Jon Wiley & Sons, 2019.