What’s artificial intelligence?

Since the 1940s, computing technology has made spectacular progress. Early on, pioneers in the field questioned whether a computer could think for itself. While the idea may have seemed absurd at the time, it has become a reality: artificial intelligence (AI) exists today. But what exactly is AI?

Ability to learn
For a long time, computers were solely designed to obey programmer instructions. In other words, they only did what humans told them to do. Whether the computer was performing a mathematical calculation, playing a symphony, or displaying the latest stock market results, each task was based on prior commands.

However, artificial intelligence takes things a step further. Although computers are ultimately dependent on humans, they can be programmed to learn, predict and adapt to changes by making decisions and performing independently of the programmer’s will.

An infinite amount of data
To execute these functions, the computer relies on a massive amount of data, which it can mine from the internet. It can also capture feedback from its environment via cameras, microphones, and other input devices. This data is then classified and analyzed by powerful algorithms, which mimic human reasoning and allow the computer to perform previously impossible tasks.

This raises the question: do computers really think? Are they conscious? These questions are largely philosophical and continue to be discussed. However, one thing is certain: AI is here to stay, and we all must learn to live with it.