Re: What is AI?

The term has changed with time.  In the early years, "AI" was
an attempt to create software that exhibited human-level cognitive
abilities.  Many spin-off technologies were invented/discovered (e.g.
neural nets, expert systems, genetic algorithms, case-based reasoning,
planning systems, logic systems, natural language processing, etc),
and "AI" came to define the development and application of those
techniques.  Now, perhaps 25 years later, after it's been discovered
that the sum of these technologies in no way approaches human levels
of cognition, nor does it appear that we are making meaningful or
measurable progress toward that goal, In My Humble Opinion, outside
of academic practitioners, "AI" has little meaning, except as an
echo of endeavors past.

With my limited exposure to the field (of late), if I were to define
"academic AI" today, it'd be:

"The application of theoretically or numerically-grounded knowledge-
based techniques to managing problems characterized by computationally
intractable search."

    Randy


Matti Blecher wrote:
> Hi all,
> I'm very new to AI, and I find it hard to find a well-form definition to
> what AI is. Can you please share your view?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Matti Blecher