The artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved from being a science fiction concept to a palpable reality that impacts virtually every aspect of our daily lives. Here we break down some of the most relevant terms to help you better understand AI and participate in the global conversation.
1. **Artificial Intelligence**: Refers to highly advanced computational systems capable of mimicking human behaviors such as understanding speech, making decisions, and learning from experience. Although these systems are said to have “digital brains,” they are actually programs that run on computers, processing vast amounts of data to automate tasks that would normally require human intelligence and time.
2. **Machine Learning**: Is the method for achieving AI, teaching a computational system to identify patterns and make predictions based on them. It uses algorithms to process data repeatedly, improving with each iteration. It is key for complex problems like image recognition and language translation.
3. **Large Language Models**: Use machine learning techniques to process language and simulate human communication. Based on neural networks, they learn patterns in language to use human words in their responses. They can translate languages, summarize texts, and even write stories.
4. **Generative AI**: This form of AI uses language models to create new content, such as images, texts, and music. It learns structures and patterns to generate similar but original products. It is used to create art, design products, and even for administrative tasks in medicine.
5. **Hallucinations**: Sometimes, generative AI systems can provide inaccurate responses or fabrications, known as hallucinations. Developers try to address this through “grounding,” providing additional information to improve accuracy.
6. **Responsible AI**: Guides the development of secure and fair systems at all levels, including the machine learning model, software, and user interfaces. It is crucial to ensure that decisions made by AI are equitable and safe.
7. **Multimodal Models**: Are able to simultaneously process different types of data, such as images, sounds, and words, combining this information to perform tasks like answering questions about images.
8. **Prompts**: Are instructions given to the system in language, images, or code that tell it what task to perform. Engineers must carefully design these prompts to get the desired output from language models.
9. **Copilots**: Function as digital personal assistants, aiding in tasks like writing, coding, and summarizing information within different computer programs. They are made possible by the development of language models that understand natural human language.
10. **Plugins**: Are extensions that allow AI applications to perform additional functions without modifying the underlying model. They enable AI systems to access new information, carry out complex calculations, or interact with other programs, expanding their capabilities.
These terms are just the tip of the iceberg in the vast ocean of artificial intelligence, but understanding them is the first step to navigate the awe-inspiring world of AI that is redefining how we live and work.