Ever wondered how mind-blowingly convenient it would be if your computer system actually responded to you just like any human would?  Not just responding but what if it had the ability to think like you do or maybe even better than you? Well, that is what the technology world is working towards and we may not be completely there yet but, we’ve reached quite amazing heights. Read on to explore in depth the mastermind that makes all this possible.

WHAT IS AI?

The term Artificial Intelligence (AI) implies the intelligent behavior of systems to think and react as humans do. If you’re a Science-Fiction lover you might be inclined to think of AI as thousands of robots planning to take over the world but, no! AI is where you teach your computer to think just like how you teach your dog to sit on command.AI is a part of your everyday life that hitherto you might have never realized. Remember how you use your Google Assistant to help you set an alarm or a reminder? Well, AI has an important role to play. The live chat facilities that offer instant customer support in several websites are actually AI bots talking to you! Thus, Artificial Intelligence is defined as the science and engineering of making machines, especially computer programs, intelligent enough to understand humans. Simply put, a toddler learns to survive in the different walks of life by looking up to his elders. Similarly, AI enables a machine or computer to learn to adapt to changing the behaviors of the outside world and react accordingly coming up with better solutions every single time. Speaking in broad terms, AI can be classified into two: Narrow AI and General  AI. Also known as Weak AI, Artificial Narrow Intelligence is the type of AI that has been successfully accomplished so far and what we are using in our daily lives. Narrow AI is only suitable to learn and perform specific tasks within a limited context. An example of Narrow AI is Alpha Zero that has been specifically designed to play and win the game of chess. It is capable of analyzing the pieces on the chess board and predicting the outcomes of all possible combinations of moves which enables it to learn more and become an expert at this. Narrow AI can only intelligently perform a specific task, i.e playing chess. You cannot expect Alpha Zero to recognize your voice. You need a completely different AI for that. Artificial General Intelligence, known as Strong AI, is the kind of AI that can perform tasks beyond its ability. General AI can perceive the environment in a way exactly the humans would but this kind of AI is still not in existence. Remember, how we talked about robots taking over the world? That is General AI. AI researchers are finding it harder than expected to accomplish General AI as the realization that human thinking can never be exactly replicated in machines only becomes clearer.

Components of AI

Three major components of AI include Natural Language Processing (NLP), Deep Learning and Neural Networks. The process of communicating with a system by using natural language such as English is referred to as Natural Language Processing. By using NLP, the machine is capable of performing tasks based on natural language instructions. Deep Learning is an advanced methodology in AI that has turned a lot of heads in recent times. Based on the given set of input data, the computer trains itself to learn on its own based on pattern recognition of data. The third core component of every AI device ever is Neural Networks. An artificial neuron network is a computational model that is developed based on the human brain that is composed of billions of neurons connected by trillions of synapses. Neural Networks involves the simulation of these neurons in a computer system so that the system can learn and adapt to new things just like a human would.

Should We Fear AI?

As amusing and entertaining as it may seem to envision a world that has been completely abducted by highly intelligent robots, that’s very unlikely to happen because it takes a lot more than the knowledge that we’ve acquired so far to perceive a human brain. There is absolutely no way for your machine to turn evil and plot against you for such things are nothing but fantasies. The only way your AI can go wrong is when it fails to achieve the desired goals. That’s when you have to worry. Also, there are a few misconceptions running about machines replacing humans in the work environment. But, the main aim of technology is to make our lives easier. AI will be used to automate routine and tiring works in the organization so that the employees can focus and contribute to many important works of higher value. AI can help boost the organization’s productivity as well. Here’s what Alan Perlis, an American Computer scientist had to say about AI,

“A year spent in artificial intelligence is enough to make one believe in God.”

Founder and CEO of SpaceX, Elon Mush, on the other hand, warns us to be careful as he once said, “I think we should be very careful about artificial intelligence. If I had to guess at what our biggest existential threat is, I’d probably say that. So we need to be very careful.” AI as Your Career If AI robots are going to lead to a hike in unemployment then, why not become the master who creates these minions?  With all the worldwide popularity that Artificial Intelligence has gained over the years, choosing this career path will create a unique identity for you in society. To become an AI engineer, one needs to lay a strong foundation in the basics and delve into the various concepts with utmost interest.  Upskilling a computer to think and behave like a human requires deep knowledge in programming, computational and mathematical skills. There are plenty of certifications available online to help you kickstart your career and the field of AI is brimming with job opportunities. AI has a very prominent role to play in the rising of industries. Top-notch companies like Google has succeeded in developing machine learning tools for everyone who is looking for solutions to their problems. The simplest AI tool that Google provides to all its users is the Google Assistant that is trained to understand spoken commands and respond to them by using AI neural networks. TensorFlow is yet another mind-blowing product of the Google Brain Team that provides an open-source platform to build neural network-based solutions. Take a look below at the results shown by PayScale indicating that your salary will show a tremendous hike as one gains more experience.