What is AI? A definitive exploration.
MIT Technology Review
Our in-depth reporting on innovation reveals and explains what’s happening now to help you know what’s coming next.
Artificial intelligence is the hottest technology of our time. But what is it? It sounds like a stupid question, but it’s one that’s never been more urgent. In this edition of What’s Next in Tech, MIT Technology Review’s Will Douglas Heaven takes a deep dive into the competing answers from titans of industry and helps us understand how we got here—and why you should care, no matter who you are.
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Everyone thinks they know what AI is, but no one can agree. And that’s a problem.
AI is sexy, AI is cool. AI is entrenching inequality, upending the job market, and wrecking education. AI is a theme-park ride, AI is a magic trick. AI is our final invention, AI is a moral obligation. AI is the buzzword of the decade, AI is marketing jargon from 1955. AI is humanlike, AI is alien. AI is super-smart and as dumb as dirt. The AI boom will boost the economy, the AI bubble is about to burst. AI will increase abundance and empower humanity to maximally flourish in the universe. AI will kill us all.
What the hell is everybody talking about?
AI is the hottest technology of our time. But what is it, really? Here’s the short answer: AI is a catchall term for a set of technologies that make computers do things that are thought to require intelligence when done by people. Think of recognizing faces, understanding speech, driving cars, writing sentences, answering questions, creating pictures. But even that definition contains multitudes.
And that right there is the problem. What does it mean for machines to understand speech or write a sentence? What kinds of tasks could we ask such machines to do? And how much should we trust the machines to do them?
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As this technology moves from prototype to product faster and faster, these have become questions for all of us. But (spoilers!) I don’t have the answers. I can’t even tell you what AI is. The people making it don’t know what AI is either. Not really.?
But if you’re willing to buckle up and come for a ride, I can tell you why nobody really knows, why everybody seems to disagree, and why you’re right to care about it. Read the story.
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Image: Jun Ioneda
?? "Learning Actively, Living Boldly" | AI, Energy, ESS, Advanced Materials, National Defense, Aerospace, Supply Chain, ESG, International Relations | Senior at Auburn University
1 个月Fascinating read! The complexity and ambiguity surrounding AI truly highlight how we're still in the early days of understanding and defining this transformative technology. AI's multifaceted nature—being both a potential boon and a challenge—requires us to approach it with both excitement and caution. The debate on what AI is and its implications is not just an academic exercise but a crucial conversation that impacts all of us. The insights shared here remind us of the importance of continuing to explore, question, and refine our understanding of AI. Looking forward to seeing where this journey takes us!
National health policy | patient advocate | project leader | researcher | AI-data-health
1 个月Nicole Somsen
Group CCO @ IDEOGEN | Commercialisation Experts for Specialty Orphan and Rare Disease Medicines in the fields of Onco/Hema, Pulmonary, Hepatology and more.
1 个月AI supercharges the speed of creative output of an already amazing AI! The brain. It is a tool for now. But it also is an empowerment tool for people lacking knowledge in certain aspects of their education such as completing the weak spots in one’s educational or knowledge database. It also shines visibility into angles one did not consider like working in a group environment with many alternative views just with more substance and knowledge accuracy.
Research Study Assistant at Northeastern University | Project Manager| Program Manager| Data Analyst| Data Scientist
1 个月AI significantly impacts the technological landscape by enhancing operational efficiency, improving decision-making, and fostering innovation across various industries. It's pivotal in reshaping business, cybersecurity, and customer management through real-time engagement and predictive capabilities.