Artificial intelligence represents a branch of computer science that aims to create machines capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include learning from experience (machine learning), understanding natural language, recognizing patterns, solving problems, and making decisions. From self-driving cars to virtual personal assistants, AI is reshaping various aspects of our daily lives, and its significance continues to grow.
“Computer science is about building recipes to achieve different goals and objectives,” said Dr. Ian Kash, Associate Professor for the University of Illinois Chicago’s online Master of Engineering with a focus area in AI and Machine Learning (MEng) program. “In many areas of computer science, we can build things that are guaranteed to do what we want. However, there are a lot of extremely difficult problems in the world. So, to me, the field of AI is a set of techniques and tools that have been developed to solve these hard problems even when we can’t get a fully satisfying ‘just follow this recipe’ solution.”
One pivotal moment in the exploration of AI came in 1950 with the visionary work of British polymath, Alan Turing. In his paper, “Computing Machinery and Intelligence,” Turing introduced the Turing test and explored the mathematical possibilities of AI and questioned why machines couldn’t leverage available information, just as humans do, to solve problems and make decisions. This marked a crucial step in the journey from speculative fiction to tangible innovation.
Unlike traditional computer programs that follow predetermined instructions, AI systems can learn and adapt from data, allowing them to improve their performance over time. This ability to learn and evolve is a key characteristic that sets AI apart from conventional computing.