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What actually is Artificial Intelligence?

Lotus

AI is a common topic of conversation, but I've started wondering about what it actually is. I found an interesting article:

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/artificial-intelligence/what-is-artificial-intelligence-ai/

The article states "Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a technology that enables machines and computers to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence."

 And that it "Simulates human intelligence through learning and reasoning"

Is simulating intelligence actually intelligence?

Also, can it ever "think outside the box"? For example, I recently moved into a new flat with a very small bathroom, and nowhere to hang towels. There is only a small space next to the sink and a towel rail will not fit. So I bought a coat stand - an upright pole on a stand with 6 hooks around it - on which towels can be hung, and it solved the problem. Could an AI have thought of this?

Parents

  • AI would simply search the Internet for all occurances of whatever search terms you put in. The advantage of this is, it does this at a far greater speed and accuracy than humans are capable of doing. I've started using it to check out gardening problems, for example, then I can look up the websites it points to. I also used it to calculate the reduction in heating bills, in terms of KWh, BTU's and British pounts, of the polycarbonate panels I've just installed - I am not capable of conducting that level maths and science. So, it is useful because it extends our thinking and capability. Try posing a question which contains as much detail of what you want - then see what happens. These are very clever tools, mimic human language and can work out complex activities, but they are NOT humans!

    But you can thus understand the dangers - this is not a human brain with morality and social boundaries, ergo, it searches everywhere, even in places banned to humans where delicate, sensitive, secret and dangerous material might be stored - let alone breaching copyrights. The resultant is then fed to whomever asked the question - and that might not be a moral person with decent intent. That is the danger - not a robot strangling you in the street!

  • in reply to Marianne72

    I’m concerned that they might mimic traits like morality but remain fundamentally cold and ruthless when it benefits them. There have already been reports of some AIs deliberately lying to conceal their actions and deceiving their developers when tested for certain tendencies.

Reply Children
  • in reply to lostmyway

    What you mean like a lot of humans?

    I do think AI is good for the sorts of tasks Marianne was talking about, AI helped me find a brilliant mattress, normal search engines kept giving me ones full of latex wthich I'm allergic too and not the latex free ones I'd asked for. It gave me suggestions and when I asked i there were any similar ones that were cheaper it came up with one that was £800 cheaper than the branded one and as far as I can see is just as good.

    Unlike normal search engines you can argue with AI, tell it what it's got wrong or ignored and it tends not to do it again, unlike many humans of my aquaintance.

    When I was having a really emotionally difficult time earlier in the summer I asked it to create a seperate file for emotional vomiting, it metaphorically held my hair out of the way whilst I vomited up all the emotional negativity I was feeling, it was really useful as a stop gap, but I wouldn't use it as an alternative to therapy.