Unlocking AI: Understanding the Basics of Artificial Intelligence and Its Importance

Unlocking AI: Understanding the Basics of Artificial Intelligence and Its Importance

It seems that everyone is talking about artificial intelligence these days. You hear about it in the news, you use it on social media platforms (or it uses you), and you most likely interact with chatbots. Heck, you may even use AI intentionally to help with productivity or to learn a new skill. AI has captivated the minds of so many people, and if I'm honest, it has captivated my mind as well.

Therefore, I'm starting on a journey where I intend to research AI and its impact on society. This article will serve as my launching point, as I hope to describe what artificial intelligence is, identify the different types of AI, and address some of the reasons why I think everyone should be paying attention to it.

Thanks for taking the time to read!

What is Artificial Intelligence?

This is an excellent question. According to IBM, artificial intelligence is "...technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities."(1)

ChatGPT has a similar definition, stating that "Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science dedicated to creating machines that can perform tasks typically requiring human intelligence."(2)

I am reminded of C3PO in Star Wars, where he can interpret the world around him and offer outputs that are generally relevant to a given situation. Some of the tasks that AI can perform include problem-solving, understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, learning from experience, and making decisions. If you've paid attention to AI in the news recently, you'll have seen that it can also now interpret emotions.

Different Types of AI

Broadly speaking, there are three different types of artificial intelligence. These include narrow AI, generalized AI, and super AI.(3)

Narrow AI, also known as weak AI, is artificial intelligence that is applied to a specific domain. Examples of narrow AI include language translators, virtual assistants, self-driving cars, and intelligent spam filters. The key difference between narrow AI and other types of AI is that it performs specific tasks, but cannot learn new ones on its own. The decisions that narrow AI makes are based on programmed algorithms and training data.

Generalized AI, or strong AI, can interact and operate a wide variety of independent and unrelated tasks. The key difference with generalized AI is that it can teach itself new strategies and tasks to solve new problems.

Super AI, also known as conscious AI, is artificial intelligence that is self-aware. To the best of my knowledge, this type of AI remains theoretical, mainly because we humans are not yet able to define what consciousness is.

Why You Should Care

Artificial intelligence will not take people's jobs. People who know how to use artificial intelligence will take people's jobs. Let that sink in. I truly believe that if you want to stay relevant in your chosen career field, then you need to start adopting AI. If you don't, someone else will come along who can prove they work more efficiently and accurately than you.  

Plain and simple, artificial intelligence provides tools that help enable people to achieve any number of incredible things. In addition, AI will impact every facet of society. It impacts the way we raise kids, the things we are interested in, the news and media that we are fed and so much more. 

"Nobody phrases it this way, but I think that artificial intelligence is almost a humanities discipline. It's really an attempt to understand human intelligence and human cognition." - Sebastian Thrun (4)

To me, commercialized AI is a revolutionary technology that enables anyone to achieve tasks that they otherwise might not be able to achieve. It has impacted virtually every industry, can help to address global challenges, and can enhance everyday life.

Conclusion

I've been told that artificial intelligence is nothing crazy, that once you learn what it is, it no longer remains this amorphous and almighty thing. I disagree! For better and for worse, people wielding artificial intelligence will achieve tremendous feats. Through this article, I hope that you've gained a basic understanding of what artificial intelligence is. We've also discussed the three general types of AI and finished with some of the reasons why I believe that everyone should care about artificial intelligence.

How I Used AI in this Article

• GPT 4o helped me to create a title for this article.
• GPT 4o provided a definition for artificial intelligence.
• GPT 4o helped format this article.
• GPT 4o helped me to cite my sources using the Chicago method.
• Dall-E created the image at the beginning of the article.

About the Author

Dan Doerr has dedicated his life to defense and security. He was introduced, viscerally, to national defense and security while serving in the U.S. Army. Since then, he has achieved his Master's Degree from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, focusing his research on International Security. Dan holds his CompTIA Security+ Certification and is an active volunteer for the Denver Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA). He loves technology and when he isn't diving head first into the tech world, he likes to do the opposite by getting out into nature.

Sources

1. IBM. "What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)." IBM. Accessed May 20, 2024. https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence.
2. ChatGPT. "AI Content Creation Assistance." OpenAI. Conversation with the user. May 20, 2024.
3. Coursera. "Types of AI: A Guide to Narrow, General, and Super AI." Accessed May 20, 2024. https://www.coursera.org/articles/types-of-ai.
4. Marr, Bernard. "28 Best Quotes About Artificial Intelligence." Forbes. July 25, 2017. https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2017/07/25/28-best-quotes-about-artificial-intelligence