Definition of AI; Need of AI

Definition of AI

What is Artificial Intelligence?

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is an attempt to make a computer, a robot or other piece of technology "think" and process data in the same way that humans do. It is a branch of science that deals with helping machines find solutions to complex problems in a more human-like fashion.

AI studies how the human brain thinks, learns, decides and works while trying to solve a problem. Then it uses the outcomes of this study as a basis for developing intelligent software and systems.

Formal Definitions

Perspective	Definition
Computer Science	The field that deals with intelligent behavior, learning and adaptation in machines.
John McCarthy (1956)	"The science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs."
Andrew Ng	"AI is the new electricity — just as electricity transformed industries a century ago, AI will transform every major industry."
Turing's Perspective	A machine is considered intelligent if it can exhibit behavior indistinguishable from a human.

Goal / Aim of AI

The primary aim of AI is to improve technology by adding functionality related to the human acts of:

Reasoning — drawing logical conclusions
Learning — improving performance from experience
Problem-solving — finding optimal solutions

Perception — interpreting sensory data

Language Understanding — communicating in natural language

Examples of AI Systems

System	Category
Home Automation Systems	Smart home AI
Cortana	Voice-controlled intelligent system (Microsoft)
Siri	Voice-controlled AI (Apple)
Alexa	Smart speaker AI (Amazon)
Google Assistant	Conversational AI (Google)
ChatGPT	Generative AI text model (OpenAI)
Tesla Autopilot	Autonomous driving AI

AI vs Human Intelligence

Feature	Human Intelligence	Artificial Intelligence
Speed	Slower computation	Much faster computation
Accuracy	Subject to errors/emotions	More consistent and accurate
Learning	Learns from experience and emotion	Learns from data patterns
Creativity	Highly creative	Limited creativity
Adaptability	Adapts rapidly to new situations	Requires re-training
Energy	Low energy consumption	High energy (GPU/TPU intensive)
Context	Understands context intuitively	Context understanding improving

The Turing Test

The Turing Test, proposed by Alan Turing in 1950, evaluates a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behavior equivalent to or indistinguishable from that of a human.

How it works:

A human interrogator communicates via text with two entities: one human, one machine.
If the interrogator cannot reliably tell which is the machine, the machine passes the Turing Test.

Modern Variants:

CAPTCHA — Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart
reCaptcha — Used on websites to distinguish bots from humans

Need of AI

The need for AI is fueled by the fact that it is a technology that can enhance machines by equipping them with intelligence.

Why Do We Need AI?

2.1 Processing Large Volumes of Data

Modern society generates enormous amounts of data every second:

Social media posts, images, videos
Sensor data from IoT devices
Financial transaction records
Medical records and diagnostic images

Human beings cannot process all this data quickly or accurately. AI systems can process petabytes of data in seconds.

2.2 Speed and Accuracy

AI algorithms can perform repetitive analytical tasks faster and with fewer errors than humans. In healthcare, AI diagnostic systems can detect cancer with greater accuracy than experienced radiologists.

2.3 Automation of Repetitive Tasks

The technology is used to have machines help humans by teaching themselves to adjust, adapt, refer to more data and process that quickly to provide better or alternative answers where possible.

Examples:

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) — automates routine business processes

Email filtering — automatically classifies spam

Customer service chatbots — handle routine inquiries 24×7

2.4 Enabling Autonomous Systems

AI creates technology that allows machines to function in an intelligent manner with or without human supervision.

2.5 Solving Complex Real-World Problems

With AI, you can create software or devices which can solve real-world problems, such as:

Health issues — diagnosing diseases

Marketing — personalizing content for users

Traffic issues — optimizing signal timings

Climate change — modeling weather patterns

2.6 Personal Virtual Assistants

AI enables the creation of personal virtual assistants such as:

Alexa (Amazon)

Google Assistant (Google)

Siri (Apple)
Cortana (Microsoft)

2.7 Hazardous Environments

With AI, robots can work in environments where human survival would be at risk:

Nuclear power plants — radiation zones
Deep sea exploration — extreme pressure
Space exploration — vacuum, extreme temperatures
Disaster response — earthquake rubble, burning buildings

2.8 Enhanced Customer Experience

AI makes interaction smarter and provides:

Relevant, personalized customer experience

Personalized and custom e-commerce recommendations

Effective means of carrying out business

2.9 Healthcare Advancement

Early disease detection (cancer, Alzheimer's)
Drug discovery and development

Personalized treatment plans

Remote patient monitoring
Faster COVID-19 vaccine development

2.10 Scientific Research

Protein structure prediction (AlphaFold)
Climate modeling
Drug molecule discovery

Astronomy data analysis