Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that aims to build systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These include perception, reasoning, problem-solving, decision-making, and learning.
The central theme of AI is the design of intelligent agents—systems that perceive their environment through sensors and act upon that environment using actuators to achieve specific goals.
Definitions of AI
Researchers define AI from different viewpoints:
- Acting Humanly: AI systems that behave like humans (e.g., Turing Test).
- Thinking Humanly: AI systems that simulate cognitive processes.
- Thinking Rationally: AI systems that use logical reasoning.
- Acting Rationally: AI agents that take optimal actions given available information.
AI is the science and engineering of making intelligent agents that perceive their environment and act rationally.\text{AI is the science and engineering of making intelligent agents that perceive their environment and act rationally. AI is the science and engineering of making intelligent agents that perceive their environment and act rationally.
Scope of AI
AI spans multiple domains, including:
- Machine Learning (ML): Pattern discovery from data.
- Natural Language Processing (NLP): Human language understanding and generation.
- Computer Vision: Image and video interpretation.
- Robotics: Autonomous machines with perception and planning.
- Expert Systems: Rule-based reasoning.
- Planning and Optimization: Goal-directed reasoning under uncertainty.