What is Artificial Intelligence?9 min read
Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a key technology that is transforming everyday life and business. From chatbots that understand and respond to complex queries, to apps that generate content and analyse data, AI is demonstrating its ability to solve tasks that until recently were only possible for humans. This article looks at what AI is, how it works, and how it is being used in different domains.
What is artificial intelligence and how does it work?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the ability of machines to perform tasks that would normally require human intelligence - for example, problem solving, language understanding and object recognition. That's why AI chatbots have become so popular in business and everyday life, functioning like an "intern sitting at the next desk" ready to carry out commands.
When discussing artificial intelligence, it is important to focus on two key technologies that underpin its power: machine learning and natural language processing. What exactly are they? Let's find out.
- Machine learningA: This is the development of algorithms that allow machines to learn from data and make predictions. Example: just as a person sees a canvas of paint and understands that it is a painting, also recognizes the style and genre of based on previous experience, so can artificial intelligence understand that a text is intended to be posted on LinkedIn.
- Natural Language ProcessingA: This technology allows artificial intelligence to understand and use human language. Thanks to NLP we can talk to chatbots as if they were human beings.
Artificial intelligence learns on huge datasets, and even our interaction with chatbots helps it improve. The more data the AI processes, the more accurate its results become.
There are two main types of artificial intelligence: specialized and general. Specialised AI is designed to perform specific tasks in a limited context, such as Apple's Siri voice assistant. While general AI has the ability to solve more diverse tasks, as in ChatGPT.
How has AI evolved in recent years?
Artificial intelligence is not new, although it has become a hot topic since the advent of ChatGPT in late 2022. The idea of machine thinking dates back to the 1950s, when British mathematician Alan Turing proposed the concept of machine intelligence in the paper "Can Machines Think?". There he also described the Turing Test, a method for assessing the intelligence of computers.
Another key moment in the history of artificial intelligence is the chess match between Garry Kasparov and IBM's computer Deep Blue. In 1996 Kasparov won, but a year later Deep Blue became the first computer to beat a world champion in a direct match. This event changed our ideas about the capabilities of machines.
Today, artificial intelligence is developing at a tremendous speed. ChatGPT set the foundation by offering text conversations, and later adding features like image generation and voice commands. Technologies such as:
- Text-to-imageThis is Midjourney, Dall-E, Stable Diffusion.
- Text-to-voiceElevenLabs.
- Text-to-videoThis entry was posted in RunwayML, InVideo, Kling AI.
Bulgaria is also proud of BgGPT - the first European chatbot developed specifically for the Bulgarian language by INSAIT. By March 2024, BgGPT has answered over 2 million queries and provides a localized alternative to ChatGPT.
Popular applications with artificial intelligence AI technologies offer multiple benefits. They automate and optimize workflows, support better decision making, analyze large volumes of data, facilitate customer service, increase marketing and sales efficiency, saving time, resources and money. The benefits can be divided into strategic, which improve the overall performance of the business, and tactical, which facilitate specific tasks, such as text creation. The risks of AI are also a debated topic. They are focused on data privacy, with big players in the market like ChatGPT making efforts in this direction. For example, you can turn off "algorithm training" from your account settings, or even enter into a DPA (Data Processing Agreement) - an agreement to govern your business's use of data. Implementing AI is challenging as it requires strategic selection among the many available solutions to avoid unnecessary costs. The key is a thorough analysis of the business - identifying gaps, optimising processes and addressing resource gaps. Artificial Intelligence is just the "tip of the iceberg", while philosophy and business resilience are at the core. Artificial intelligence is evolving rapidly, with frequent industry-changing improvements. Ilon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, predicts that by 2025 AI will surpass individual human intelligence, and by 2027-2028 it could surpass the total intelligence of humanity. And Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, expects major changes in Google search in 2025 that will enable the processing of complex and intuitive queries with unparalleled accuracy. In other words, great minds are rallying around the view that the future of AI is transformational. Artificial intelligence is making inroads into sectors such as education, medicine, customer service, manufacturing and marketing. However, uniform standards of integration are lacking. For some businesses the topic remains a cause for concern, while for others AI is a tool for survival and advancement. Yet the future of AI is in the hands and minds of business leaders, who should approach it with the necessary dose of curiosity. Artificial intelligence has entered our daily lives with a bang, having the ability to optimize repeatable processes such as: The list goes on forever, so we'll stop here. With the right attitude and creativity, artificial intelligence can be transformed into an assistant for almost any everyday task. For example, ChatGPT can help in learning a new language using a gamified learning method, becoming your mentor and delivering knowledge in a fun way. It can also be a fun way to test your geographical knowledge. Imagine a game where he says the name of a country and you have to guess its capital. Sample prompt: The education system is facing a new challenge with the advent of AI. It has to find a balance between controlling information, as every student has access to chatbots, and adapting to new technologies. Some platforms using AI have been able to personalize learning, providing additional content to interested students and help when needed. Educators can also automate processes. For example, with an app like Perplexity, any teacher can research and verify their information by searching the vast internet through artificial intelligence. Preparing presentations is also easier than ever. Apps like Gamma App produce entire slides based on a set text or topic. And ChatGPT alone can provide good ideas for gamifying the learning process and implementing advanced tactics to hold interest. One of the main issues facing education is how to prepare students for the skills of the future. Working with artificial intelligence will be an inevitable part of their daily lives, which implies the development of critical thinking, good computer literacy and career orientation. The world is divided into two camps: some believe that AI will be just a "crutch", while others think it will replace entire professions. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. The fastest changes are expected in digital professions and customer service. But with the existing risk comes new opportunities. A growing demand for AI systems support specialists is expected, as well as the development of existing professions such as: The above give us reason to believe that the first step is to understand how existing technologies work for us. When used as intended, AI can enhance our work and make us more effective at what we are already good at. That's why regular refresh of knowledge about artificial intelligence will be of significant benefit. The regulation of artificial intelligence is one of the leading political and economic topics around the world. The European Union is at the forefront with the world's first piece of legislation known as the Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act). It focuses on the 'high-risk category', which includes technologies that recognise faces or medical software subject to strict safety requirements. The main purpose of the Act is to ensure the ethical use of AI. As expected, other world powers such as the US and China are also implementing their own versions of AI safety standards. Ethical issues around AI are frequently discussed in the digital and media sectors. One of the main questions is how to use AI while respecting ethical norms. It is good practice to label content in which AI has been substantially involved (e.g. an image created with AI). On Instagram, there is an option to tag posts with an "Add AI label", which helps inform the audience and avoid misleading them. The private sector has a responsible role in shaping the AI ecosystem. It is businesses that need to start enforcing the standards they promise to their customers: honesty, ethics and transparency. Since AI is a relatively new step for the wider world, every entity, be it from the public, private or voluntary sector, is essential to shape the best practices to pass on. Artificial intelligence is driving change in almost all industries, but it seems to have caught the world off guard. If until now we have seen a "generation gap" in terms of effective use of the internet and social networks, today a whole new digital page is opening up before us. Each of us has a responsibility to write it thoroughly and with the creation of a better world in mind.:
What are the advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence?
What is the future of AI?
How is AI used in everyday life?
Prompt would look like this:
"Act as a teacher in Spanish language. My goal is to learn Spanish and improve my writing skills. My current level is A2 (you can enter your level here). I want you to help me with this task by describing real-life situational examples, test my language and give me feedback all the time. Make sure the learning is gamified. FYI, my native language is Bulgarian."
"Act as a game that tests my knowledge in country capitals. You'll name a country, and I'll have to guess the capital. If I give a wrong answer, you give me a little hint until I guess it. If I say "I give up", then you tell me the right answer and you move to the next country."How is education changing under the influence of smart technologies?
Will some professions disappear?
How is AI regulated in different countries?
