ears ago, fiction showed us movies where technology advanced to such an extent that machines could carry out human activities. Currently, with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other industry 4.0 technologies , that scenario is moving further and further away and landing in the real world to offer innovative solutions to people and companies in search of a more automated future. If you want to know what it’s about, keep reading.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the ability of artificial gadgets—such as a computer or a robot—to perform tasks associated with human intelligence such as the ability to calculate, memorize data, understand meanings, and even play chess. However, there are still no programs that can match the human mind in areas that require non-everyday processes such as creativity or reasoning by themselves.
The goals of artificial intelligence include mimicking human cognitive activity . By now, technology has advanced to such a point that it can mimic learning, reasoning, perception, and problem-solving activities that we will detail later.
One of the drawbacks when defining Artificial Intelligence has to do with the simple conception of building intelligent machines. The concept goes much further, since what makes these machines intelligent is a series of technologies such as machine learning and deep learning that have been making a paradigm shift in different industries.
Origin of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence had its first appearance in 1950 with Alan Turing and his test (the Turing test ). This consisted of having a machine interact with a person. If the machine could carry on the conversation without the human noticing, it was intelligent.
A few years later (1955) John McCarthy officially coined the term at the Dartmouth conference, in which he mentioned the objective of AI: “Every aspect of learning or any other characteristic of intelligence can, in principle, be described with such precision that can be created by a machine simulating it. “We will try to discover how to make machines use language, based on abstractions and concepts, solve problems now reserved for humans and improve themselves.”
Categories of Artificial Intelligence
Weak Artificial Intelligence or Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI)
When we talk about weak Artificial Intelligence, it refers to a system designed to carry out a single job or a set of closely related tasks. This system tends to focus on efficiency.
Most everyday life experiences with this technology are part of this category. An example of this could be voice assistants: you ask them a question and they answer it. Other examples may be:
- Video game
- Easy recognition
- Concrete data analysis software
- weather apps
MACHINE LEARNING AND DEEP LEARNING
Much of the implementation of weak Artificial Intelligence is thanks to machine learning and deep learning . It is important to remember that they do not mean the same thing or are on the same level. Think of Russian dolls: the largest level is Artificial Intelligence, the second is machine learning (supervised and unsupervised), and finally there is deep learning.
Strong artificial intelligence (AGI)
Contrary to weak Artificial Intelligence, this type of AI is more similar to that in the movies where machines can emulate human intelligence and behaviors in a strategic way , in addition to having the ability to perform complex tasks.
Strong AI is designed so that humans do not have to intervene at any time and is underdeveloped. An example of this could be autonomous cars or some robotic systems in hospitals.
Currently, Artificial Intelligence continues to be a complement to human capabilities and not a replacement.
Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI)
This type of machine is not yet developed—and it is not known if it will ever be developed—and consists of conscious and autonomous machines . Which means that they do not simply seek to replicate human behavior but rather surpass it in all aspects.
Types of Artificial Intelligence
Reactive machines
This is the most basic type of Artificial Intelligence of all. As its name indicates, it can only react to human behavior when an action occurs. A reactive machine cannot store memory, therefore, it cannot be based on past experiences to act accordingly and make decisions.
It was a widely used technology in the 90s and is now becoming obsolete. His best remembered example is Deep Blue, designed by IBM as a supercomputer to play chess that defeated the international master Gary Kasparov at the time.
limited memory
Memory-limited AI can store data and collect information based on past events to be able to weigh possible decisions, that is, every time the machine is exposed to information, a large amount of data related to previous interactions is created and this allows it to learn from data for future processes.
We can currently see it in systems such as chatbots and facial recognition.
Theory of mind
As its name says it, this is a simple theory. Currently there is nothing developed under this form of AI that aims for machines to understand how human beings feel and make decisions through self-reflection in order to make their own decisions.
Self-awareness
This type of Artificial Intelligence is classified within the ASI category. It is the final step where the machine becomes self-aware and understands all human emotions and reactions.
Achieving its implementation will make machines capable of understanding the needs of others based not only on what they communicate but on how they communicate.
Applications of Artificial Intelligence
There are numerous applications of AI systems and they can be applied to different sectors. One of the sectors where its implementation has been seen the most is in the health industry, performing functions such as dosing medications for different patients. Let’s look at some more.
Recommendation Engines
Thanks to Artificial Intelligence algorithms, it is possible to discover data trends to be used in effective cross-selling strategies . This is very common in online stores that during the payment process recommend to the customer a similar product or one that can complement the one already chosen.
Social networks
Social networks are one of the channels with the most hours of consumption today, therefore they generate an innumerable amount of data from tweets, images, videos, etc.
AI in social networks is implemented with facial verification and feature detection . A clear example of this is the filters in applications like Snapchat or Instagram .
Machine learning also enters into social networks by collecting data of your interest to design your feed based on that .
Customer Support
It is increasingly common to enter websites that offer the customer the possibility of having a conversation with a chatbot 24/7 to answer questions about issues such as shipping, personalized advice, suggestions, among others.
There are different levels of implementation to such an extent that, in its most advanced version, the chatbot can extract information from the site and show the client what he wants on time.
Another application of Artificial Intelligence within customer service is the use of VCA (virtual customer help) . This system predicts and responds to queries over the phone without the need for human interaction. In case the query is too complex for the system to resolve, the call is redirected to a person with whom the user can interact directly.
Speech Recognition (ASR)
Through natural language processing (NLP) the machine processes human speech and transcribes it. There are currently many smart devices that include this functionality for voice searches. An example of this is Siri.
home automation
Artificial intelligence applications are increasingly used in homes. There are devices such as smart switches, light bulbs, locks, doors that can be controlled through mobile phones or voice systems.
There are thermostats on the market that have the ability to learn and anticipate weather conditions in such a way that the cooling and heating of the place can be automated when the weather requires it.
Artificial intelligence in surveillance
Artificial Intelligence has been evolving in the field of security. Thanks to facial recognition and the creation of different security algorithms, AI cameras can recognize potential threats , unknown people in facilities, among other functions, and notify the human in charge to analyze the situation.
Benefits of Artificial Intelligence
Implementing Artificial Intelligence both in the company and in daily life can bring great benefits related mainly to saving money and time in routine activities.
This is demonstrated by a study carried out in 2022 in which it is stated that approximately 44% of companies that have implemented AI have reduced business costs and 54% of their executives say that AI increased productivity in their companies. Let’s see what other benefits the implementation of this technology brings:
- Reduction of human errors: Machines make decisions based on the information they collect, this makes the implementation method more exact and precise.
- Automation and efficiency: The machines have 24/7 availability, meaning that processes can be done faster and without wear. Furthermore, automation not only leads to higher rates of production and productivity, but also enables more efficient use of raw materials.
- Intelligent decisions: AI technology can provide forecasts, analyze trends, anticipate changes, and quantify uncertainties so that better business decisions can be made with that data.
- Problem solving: Thanks to machine learning and deep learning, AI technology may be able to solve highly complex problems such as fraud detection, medical diagnoses, improving customer service, among others.
- Management of recurring tasks: Intelligent machines have the ability to process repetitive tasks faster with better results. This allows humans to focus on much more complex tasks.
Why is AI important?
After seeing what artificial intelligence is and how it can be applied, it is possible to conclude that it has great potential for the future. Demands for devices with intelligence have increased significantly and therefore it is important for companies to join in and implement it.
Likewise, it is essential to educate and train employees in the use of this technology so that it is carried out in the best way and that all possible benefits are obtained. Not having smart machinery can lead to obsolescence and business failure.
What did you think of this article? Do you already use Artificial Intelligence in your company? Write in the comments.
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