I realise this is a tricky topic and I hope it’s ok to ask this question. I genuinely want to hear how AI has changed people lives for the better. If you really hate AI I get it, but this isn’t a question for you then. Thank you and it’s all love.
(Edit: Thank you to all the positive commenters and for sticking with me through the inevitable negativity. Lots of really interesting comments in here 😁 We mustn’t let ourselves be intimidated by those who would try to forbid us from having these conversations. Thanks again)
If routing algorithms are now considered to be AI the term has lost all meaning.
I swear to god Dijkstra just appeared behind me as a Jedi style ghost and slapped his forehead so hard he phase shifted into oblivion again.
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=State-space_search
Something being used in a thing does not make it that thing.
An engine contains pistons. A piston is not an engine.
In computer science AI refers to a system that’s capable of performing any cognitive task typically done by humans.
The term isn’t losing its meaning. Its always been a broad term. Most people just think it means more than it actually does.
Thank you for explaining my degree to me.
How am I supposed to know what field you have a degree in? Was I being rude towards you? I’m unsure what warrants this sarcastic courtesy.
The rhetorical mistake you made was an appeal to authority - “in computer science” - in your reply. This only makes sense if you presumed I don’t know the details behind my statement, ie I have not studied it.
Any workable definition of AI must be more complex than a single, complete, procedure like path finding. If it isn’t, then any algorithm that is NP complete counts as AI.
For example, a script that solves sudoku is not AI.
AI is a technical term with roots in computer science. That’s not an appeal to authority - it’s a factual statement.
When a layperson hears “AI” they often think of AGI - something like HAL 9000. Then they look at ChatGPT, conclude the LLM isn’t (generally) intelligent, and decide it therefore isn’t AI. My point is that the term has a specific meaning and it’s not what most people think. I assumed you were one of those people. It doesn’t imply general intelligence. A very simple system can still be artificially intelligent in the classical definition of the term. A sudoku solver, a chess engine, and a navigator would all count.
Nowadays the meaning has shifted a little and usually refers to a model that has learned from a bunch of data. By that definition none of the earlier examples qualify anymore except for LLMs.
Then use a definition which would hold water academically.
Switching between proper definitions and layman’s usage is basically the entire point of my original comment.
But anyway, have a lovely evening.
You’re kinda right. It reminds me of:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_effect