Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Field

Computer and Data Science

Benefits

Reduce human errors, enable consistent precision (e.g., surgical robotics)

Concerns

Can be a security risk

Term Coined

Mid-1950s

Primary Goal

Create machines that simulate human intelligence, learning, comprehension, problem-solving, decision-making, creativity, autonomy, perception, and language understanding

Key Sub-fields

Machine Learning, Neural Networks, Deep Learning

Foundational Work

Alan Turing's 'Computer Machinery and Intelligence' (mid-1950s), proposing the Turing Test

Learning Mechanism

Learns from data without explicit programming

Progress Principle

Generally follows logarithmic scaling laws

Current State of AGI/ASI

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and Artificial Superintelligence (ASI) do not currently exist

Historical Origin (Concept)

Ancient philosophers, automatons (e.g., mechanical pigeon)

0400 BCE

1950s

1950s

Ongoing

Ongoing

Artificial intelligence (AI) encompasses the fields of computer and data science focused on building machines with human intelligence to perform tasks like learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and language understanding. Instead of relying on explicit instructions from a programmer, AI systems learn from data that enables them to handle complex problems and simple repetitive tasks, improving how they respond over time. [...] AI is a powerful and promising technology that can bring many benefits and opportunities to humanity. But even with its many benefits, the use of AI comes with various concerns. [...] The term artificial intelligence was coined and came into popular use in the mid-1950s following Turing's publication of "Computer Machinery and Intelligence," a paper that proposed a test of machine intelligence called the Imitation Game. Turing's publication eventually became the Turing Test, which experts used to measure computer intelligence.

My IBM Log in Subscribe Cost of a Data Breach Report 2025 AI is becoming a security risk. Are you covered? # What is artificial intelligence (AI)? ## Authors Cole Stryker Editorial Lead, AI Models Eda Kavlakoglu Program Manager ## What is AI? Artificial intelligence (AI) is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human learning, comprehension, problem solving, decision making, creativity and autonomy. [...] AI can reduce human errors in various ways, from guiding people through the proper steps of a process, to flagging potential errors before they occur, and fully automating processes without human intervention. This is especially important in industries such as healthcare where, for example, AI-guided surgical robotics enable consistent precision. [...] Directly underneath AI, we have machine learning, which involves creating models by training an algorithm to make predictions or decisions based on data. It encompasses a broad range of techniques that enable computers to learn from and make inferences based on data without being explicitly programmed for specific tasks.

Artificial intelligence is a specialty within computer science that is concerned with creating systems that can replicate human intelligence and problem-solving abilities. They do this by taking in a myriad of data, processing it, and learning from their past in order to streamline and improve in the future. A normal computer program would need human interference in order to fix bugs and improve processes. Learn more about AI. ## The history of artificial intelligence: [...] The idea of “artificial intelligence” goes back thousands of years, to ancient philosophers considering questions of life and death. In ancient times, inventors made things called “automatons” which were mechanical and moved independently of human intervention. The word “automaton” comes from ancient Greek, and means “acting of one’s own will.” One of the earliest records of an automaton comes from 400 BCE and refers to a mechanical pigeon created by a friend of the philosopher Plato. Many [...] The time between when the phrase “artificial intelligence” was created, and the 1980s was a period of both rapid growth and struggle for AI research. The late 1950s through the 1960s was a time of creation. From programming languages that are still in use to this day to books and films that explored the idea of robots, AI became a mainstream idea quickly.

An artificial system designed to think or act like a human, including cognitive architectures and neural networks. A set of techniques, including machine learning that is designed to approximate a cognitive task. An artificial system designed to act rationally, including an intelligent software agent or embodied robot that achieves goals using perception, planning, reasoning, learning, communicating, decision-making, and acting. [...] Any artificial system that performs tasks under varying and unpredictable circumstances without significant human oversight, or that can learn from experience and improve performance when exposed to data sets. An artificial system developed in computer software, physical hardware, or other context that solves tasks requiring human-like perception, cognition, planning, learning, communication, or physical action.