What Is AI and How Does It Work?

AI is a field within computer science focused on creating systems capable of performing tasks that normally require human intelligence.

AI systems use algorithms and large data sets to mimic and enhance human problem-solving and decision-making.

The term "Artificial Intelligence" is misleading in several aspects. A computer doesn't possess intelligence; instead, it simulates it. It is just that—a simulation. The thought processes of humans and computers are fundamentally different.

For example, a recommendation system on a streaming platform, which suggests new shows based on your previous watches, is a practical application of AI. It uses your past behavior to predict what you might like next, but it's not making these suggestions through understanding or consciousness—it's following programmed algorithms.

Imagine you have a smart robot friend who loves solving puzzles. You give it a puzzle, some clues, and the rules to follow. Your robot friend then uses those clues and rules to figure out the puzzle. That's similar to how AI works!

In the world of AI, these puzzles are tasks we want the computer to do, like understanding spoken words or recognizing faces in photos. The clues are the data we give the AI, like pictures or sounds. The rules are special instructions called algorithms, which are like recipes that tell the AI how to use the data to solve the task.

Here's a simple way to see it in action: Think about when you play music on your phone, and it suggests other songs you might like. Your music app uses AI to understand your music taste based on the songs you've listened to before (those are the clues). Then, it follows a set of rules (algorithms) to recommend new songs it thinks you'll enjoy.

So, AI is like a puzzle-solving robot friend. It uses rules to sort through information and find solutions, making tasks easier and quicker, even though it doesn't have human goals or feelings.