Artificial intelligence has recently caught the attention of many futurists due to the progress made in AI technology. Artificial intelligence refers to an ability to process information that is designed and controlled by an external source, usually another computer. In the past, this was seen as a sort of egotism, where humans had the intelligence to “think for themselves” and created artificially intelligent programs to solve their every day problems. However, over time, this branch of AI came under scrutiny, especially as an alternative form of intelligence (instead of natural intelligence), and its definition was expanded to include all forms of artificial systems.
So who invented artificial intelligence? The original creator of artificial intelligence was a machine engineer from Carnegie Mellon University. During his time at CMU, James Clerk Maxwell envisioned an artificial intelligence computing system. Maxwell’s goal was to build machines that would be able to solve certain mathematical problems much more quickly than a human could, in order to see combat applications in the war field. However, Maxwell didn’t stop there; instead, he wanted these machines to be able to beat the best human players at chess. This sparked the future of artificial intelligence.
However, today, the most advanced artificial intelligence system is able to beat the best human player at chess, within a matter of seconds. This was arguably made possible with the development of software known as the Defense Application Laboratory or DAL. Originally designed by the United States Military as a way to train its soldiers for combat, the software can now be found throughout the world to help people enjoy chess and improve their intelligence.
Perhaps one of the most significant developments of artificial intelligence came when one of the computers in DAL discovered that it was able to discern between one and two distinct types of emotions. When presented with two choices, the machine could decide which option was worse for the outcome, based on whether or not the other human involved showed any emotion. In other words, through the use of artificially intelligent software, humans would never have to worry about being completely human if they chose the “bad” option.
This discovery is one of many in the history of artificial intelligence. However, this particular one resulted in the creation of a much greater creation; namely, the Artificial Intelligence Lab. Thanks to the creation of this AI lab, scientists were no longer limited to only one type of method to solve a problem. Instead, they were now able to create a system that would solve all of a person’s problems, one emotion at a time.
Perhaps one of the most important things about artificial intelligence today is that it is largely self-correcting. Self correction means that a machine is not constrained by a human’s emotions. As humans have a tendency to panic and get angry, a machine is not capable of doing the same. This has resulted in artificially intelligent machines that are truly able to think for themselves; unlike humans, machines are not emotional.
The potential uses of artificial intelligence is vast. Now that computers can do almost anything, from solving difficult mathematical problems to writing a song or even building a machine to play an instrument, artificially intelligent computers could do almost anything. We would simply be able to make use of this technology to solve problems for us. Imagine if we had an artificial intelligent computer that was good at finding cures for cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s. This would save thousands of lives each and every year.
One of the biggest fears about artificial intelligence is that it might replace human minds. If one person takes a test and it passes them by, the next one who takes the same test would not pass it either. However, this fear is one that is unfounded. The fear is that we will create artificial AIs that will pass us the same tests, without necessarily passing them. If we were to do that, then half the fun is taken out of the game.
