AI:The Rise Of The Machines
‘ Man v/s Machine’- It is that seemingly eternal conflict that constitutes the theme of Hollywood flicks like Terminator, The Matrix etc. “Will machines take over one day?” we wonder. Hmm... A funny question, considering that they already have!
Machines have encompassed every moment of our lives and to enable them to take over tasks that we do now or would like to do, Man developed this branch of science called artificial intelligence (AI). AI is basically a study of computational requirements for tasks such as perception, reasoning and learning. Though the very word ‘artificial intelligence’ sounds like an oxymoron (something that’s intelligent is also a moron?!), the fact is that, this science was in existence much before the term was even coined. From a simple closed loop feedback system to handwriting-recognition system, most of the modern day systems employ AI principles, though in varying degrees.
How intelligent is artificial intelligence
We are so used to some of the everyday applications of AI principles, that we have taken them for granted to be something more mundane in nature. The divide-and-conquer and recursion algorithms utilized in solving problems like the tower of Hanoi are instances of AI principles permeating to the grass root level. Intelligence has primarily been classified into three levels:
Ø Alpha level: - this is the non-learning level
Ø Beta level: - this is the level at which elementary learning capacity is present.
Ø Gamma level: - at this level the ability to make generalizations from past experiences (heuristics), to study and keep track of statistical data etc. is present.
Despite possessing only alpha level intelligence, today’s industrial robots are proving to be a force to reckon with in the fields of business and medicine. Based on their nature, AI applications can be classified as:
ü Expert systems: They process known information and provide conclusions based on these.
ü Neural networks: These are self-learning systems utilizing past behaviour to predict future behavior.
ü Generic algorithms: They use heuristic approach to attempt to solve difficult problems.
ü Intelligence agent: They are surveillance-oriented applications.
AI at work
Some of the practical applications of AI include Clinical Decision-Support systems used in hospitals to enable automated diagnosis, monitoring and drug administration, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Amongst its numerous applications in the area of finance, fraud detection in banks and data mining are areas of interest that have captured the attention of leading financial institutions like Wal-Mart, US Bancorp.
Speech recognition, intelligent tutoring systems have marked AI’s foray in education.
However, the most popular application is AI-based gaming. With games like Half-Life, in which the rivals can feel, smell, hear and react to you, hitting the market, AI-gaming is proving to be a terrific experience. But what would happen if the computer could learn from our mistakes just as we learn to predict a game? We may never may able to win a game against it. This brings us back to our primary concerns. Which is:
Will AI surpass OI (original intelligence?!)
Considering that artificial intelligence is but a by-product of human intelligence, it would be a paradox if AI systems could become more intelligent than the intelligent beings that created it. But following reminders should shake us out of complacence:-
· Deep Blue, the chess playing computer famously defeated chess sultan Gary Kasparov in 1997.
· In August 2001, in a first of its kind battle, a team of IBM robots called ‘BOTS’ were pitted against a team of financial experts in simulated trading, and our worst fears were confirmed when the humans were beaten square by the machines.
However, these words of a man, widely regarded as the most intelligent ever, should provide some comfort:
“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
If Albert Einstein is to be believed, then as long as the machines do not acquire enigmatic, God-given powers of creativity and imagination, machines can enslave Man only in sci-fi potboilers, and B-grade action flicks. But, you never know, if Edward De Bono can develop tools to induce creativity and lateral thinking in men, someday some Mad Scientist may be able to develop an algorithm to make the computer do the same!
Better keep an eye on your computer!
Machines have encompassed every moment of our lives and to enable them to take over tasks that we do now or would like to do, Man developed this branch of science called artificial intelligence (AI). AI is basically a study of computational requirements for tasks such as perception, reasoning and learning. Though the very word ‘artificial intelligence’ sounds like an oxymoron (something that’s intelligent is also a moron?!), the fact is that, this science was in existence much before the term was even coined. From a simple closed loop feedback system to handwriting-recognition system, most of the modern day systems employ AI principles, though in varying degrees.
How intelligent is artificial intelligence
We are so used to some of the everyday applications of AI principles, that we have taken them for granted to be something more mundane in nature. The divide-and-conquer and recursion algorithms utilized in solving problems like the tower of Hanoi are instances of AI principles permeating to the grass root level. Intelligence has primarily been classified into three levels:
Ø Alpha level: - this is the non-learning level
Ø Beta level: - this is the level at which elementary learning capacity is present.
Ø Gamma level: - at this level the ability to make generalizations from past experiences (heuristics), to study and keep track of statistical data etc. is present.
Despite possessing only alpha level intelligence, today’s industrial robots are proving to be a force to reckon with in the fields of business and medicine. Based on their nature, AI applications can be classified as:
ü Expert systems: They process known information and provide conclusions based on these.
ü Neural networks: These are self-learning systems utilizing past behaviour to predict future behavior.
ü Generic algorithms: They use heuristic approach to attempt to solve difficult problems.
ü Intelligence agent: They are surveillance-oriented applications.
AI at work
Some of the practical applications of AI include Clinical Decision-Support systems used in hospitals to enable automated diagnosis, monitoring and drug administration, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Amongst its numerous applications in the area of finance, fraud detection in banks and data mining are areas of interest that have captured the attention of leading financial institutions like Wal-Mart, US Bancorp.
Speech recognition, intelligent tutoring systems have marked AI’s foray in education.
However, the most popular application is AI-based gaming. With games like Half-Life, in which the rivals can feel, smell, hear and react to you, hitting the market, AI-gaming is proving to be a terrific experience. But what would happen if the computer could learn from our mistakes just as we learn to predict a game? We may never may able to win a game against it. This brings us back to our primary concerns. Which is:
Will AI surpass OI (original intelligence?!)
Considering that artificial intelligence is but a by-product of human intelligence, it would be a paradox if AI systems could become more intelligent than the intelligent beings that created it. But following reminders should shake us out of complacence:-
· Deep Blue, the chess playing computer famously defeated chess sultan Gary Kasparov in 1997.
· In August 2001, in a first of its kind battle, a team of IBM robots called ‘BOTS’ were pitted against a team of financial experts in simulated trading, and our worst fears were confirmed when the humans were beaten square by the machines.
However, these words of a man, widely regarded as the most intelligent ever, should provide some comfort:
“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.”
If Albert Einstein is to be believed, then as long as the machines do not acquire enigmatic, God-given powers of creativity and imagination, machines can enslave Man only in sci-fi potboilers, and B-grade action flicks. But, you never know, if Edward De Bono can develop tools to induce creativity and lateral thinking in men, someday some Mad Scientist may be able to develop an algorithm to make the computer do the same!
Better keep an eye on your computer!
posted by venki at 9:04 PM
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