AI Glossary Term
What does “Artificial Intelligence (AI)” mean?
The broad field of building systems that perform tasks requiring pattern recognition, reasoning, language, or decision-making.
How Artificial Intelligence (AI) works
Example
Spam filters, map route suggestions, and voice assistants all use AI. Some follow hand-written rules, while most modern ones learn patterns from large amounts of data.
Why it matters
AI is a broad label that covers very different technologies. Knowing the layers helps you judge what a given product can and cannot do.
Common questions
Is AI the same as machine learning?
No. Machine learning is one approach within AI. Other approaches include rule-based systems and search methods.
Does AI think like a human?
No. AI systems process patterns in data and do not have human understanding or experience, even when their output sounds fluent.
Is AI new?
The field dates to the 1950s. Recent growth comes from larger datasets, faster hardware, and improved methods.