Artificial Intelligence ( AI )

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

According to the father of Artificial Intelligence, John McCarthy, it is “The science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs”.

Are you thinking of Terminator, and Lucy? Sentient, self-aware robots are closer to becoming a reality than you think. Developing computer systems that equal or exceed human intelligence is the crux of artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence (AI), also known as machine learning, is a discipline within computer science.

AI is accomplished by studying how human brain thinks, and how humans learn, decide, and work while trying to solve a problem, and then using the outcomes of this study as a basis of developing intelligent software and systems. According to Andrew Ng, Professor at Stanford University, AI is the next electricity; it will be the main force behind development like how electricity played a major role in world development during the early 20th century.

What is Intelligence Composed of?

The intelligence is intangible. It is composed of −

·        Reasoning

·        Learning

·        Problem Solving

·        Perception

·        Linguistic Intelligence

The domain of artificial intelligence is huge in breadth and width. While proceeding, we consider the broadly common and prospering research areas in the domain of AI −

Real Life Applications of AI Research Areas. There is a large array of applications where AI is serving common people in their day-to-day lives –

Expert Systems: Examples − Flight-tracking systems, Clinical systems.

Natural Language Processing: Examples: Google Now feature, speech recognition, Automatic voice output

Neural Networks: Examples − Pattern recognition systems such as face recognition, character recognition, handwriting recognition.

Robotics: Examples − Industrial robots for moving, spraying, painting, precision checking, drilling, cleaning, coating, carving, etc.

Fuzzy Logic Systems: Examples − Consumer electronics, automobiles, etc.

An example of AI would be speech recognition and communicating, such as Apple’s Siri, or Amazon’s Alexa. Amazon has announced three new AI tools for anyone wanting to build apps on Amazon Web Services: Amazon Lex, Amazon Polly, and Amazon Rekognition. According to Amazon “This frees developers to focus on defining and building an entirely new generation of apps that can see, hear, speak, understand, and interact with the world around them.”

Educational Requirements for Careers in Artificial Intelligence

Basic computer technology and math backgrounds form the backbone of most artificial intelligence programs. Entry level positions require at least a bachelor’s degree while positions entailing supervision, leadership or administrative roles frequently require master’s or doctoral degrees. Typical coursework involves study of:

§ Various level of math, including probability, statistics, algebra, calculus, logic and algorithms.

§ Bayesian networking or graphical modeling, including neural nets.

§ Physics, engineering and robotics.

§ Computer science, programming languages and coding.

§ Cognitive science theory.

Candidates can find degree programs that offer specific majors in AI or pursue an AI specialization from within majors such as computer science, health informatics, graphic design, information technology or engineering.

How can you get started?

Automation, robotics and the use of sophisticated computer software and programs characterize a career in artificial intelligence (AI). Candidates interested in pursuing jobs in this field require specific education based on foundations of math, technology, logic, and engineering perspectives. Written and verbal communication skills are also important to convey how AI tools and services are effectively employed within industry settings

The first thing you need to do is learn a programming language. Though there are a lot of languages that you can start with, Python is what many prefer to start with because its libraries are better suited to Machine Learning.

Chatbots were one of the first automated programs to be called “bots.” You need AI and ML for your chatbots. Web crawlers used by Search Engines like Google are a perfect example of a sophisticated and advanced BOT.

You should learn the following before you start programming bots to make your life easier.

·        xpath - This will help you to inspect and target HTML and build your bot from what you see there.

·        regex - This will help you to process the data you feed your bot by cleaning up or targeting (or both) the parts that matter to your logic.

·        REST - This is really important as you will eventually work with APIs. You can use requests to do this.

You can also start by using APIs and tools that offer the ability to build end-user applications. This helps you by actually building something without worrying too much about the theory at first. Some of the APIs that you can use for this are:

Google Cloud Prediction API Documentation

DiffBot

Machine Learning for Language Toolkit

Scrapy

Wolfram Alpha API

Once you have a thorough understanding of your preferred programming language and enough practice with the basics, you should start to learn more about Machine Learning. In Python, start learning Scikit-learn, NLTK, SciPy, PyBrain, and Numpy libraries which will be useful while writing Machine Learning algorithms. You need to know Advanced Math and as well.

Before you start learning and contributing to the field of AI, read how AI is rapidly changing the world.

AI Careers:

AI will be implemented not just in computers and smart phones, but also in industries such as healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, and robotics.

Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft are all working on AI. Facebook’s FAIR(Facebook Artificial Intelligence Research) program engages with academia to assist in solving long term problems in AI. Facebook is hiring AI experts around the world to assist in their project. Microsoft purchased Maluuba in January 2017, an AI company that uses machine learning for natural language processing. Google Brain is machine learning by trial and error, and Google Translate can translate writings into different languages. AI has beaten the best human competitors in the games Go, Chess, Checkers, Scrabble, Jeopardy! and the poker game No Limit Texas Hold’em.

Google, Facebook, Amazon, IBM, Apple, and Microsoft have partnered together to form the Partnership on Artificial Intelligence to Benefit People and Society, referred to as the “Partnership on AI”, to ensure ethical, transparent work on AI. Elon Musk, who now cochairs a nonprofit research organization called OpenAI. The organization intends to develop AI systems that are open-source friendly and is currently focused on deep learning research. OpenAI maintains a vision for decentralized and crowdsourced technology that maximizes AI’s potential benefits for humankind.

Conclusion

Whether or not the technology will benefit humanity is inherently difficult to predict. But one thing is almost certain: Whoever controls artificially intelligent technology in its early stages will wield considerable power and influence over all of human civilization. Money, labor, government and media are just a few facets of society that will change dramatically by these innovations. And it is up to us to set the technology on the right path while we still have the power to do so.