chapter one
This chapter covers
- Gaining some perspective about the history of Artificial Intelligence
- Understanding what Machine Learning is and what it has to do with AI
- Exploring the drivers of the explosion in AI applications
AI is not a new technology. For decades computer scientists have tried different approaches to reach the holy grail of computing: intelligent machines. While we are still far away from replicating the wonders of the human brain, AI applications have started to fill our daily lives and power our electronic devices, from smartphones to home alarm systems.
Why this seemingly sudden explosion? This chapter will answer this question by teaching you what modern AI is, what are the core principles behind it, and how and why we got where we are now.
1.1 The path to modern AI
As humans, we’ve always tried to find ways to understand the world around us and bend Nature to meet our goals. To do so, we have always relied on external tools that amplify our brain’s capabilities.