Technology has always been at the forefront of innovation and achievement. One such technology that is spearheading the modern world is Artificial Intelligence (AI). You may have heard about AI, but did you know that there are different types of AI?
Today, we will discuss the types of AI in some detail and give you a comprehensive outlook on current developments of AI and what the future of AI holds for us.
But first…
What Is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
Artificial Intelligence is a branch of computer science that is trying to bring intelligence to machines. More specifically, it is trying to replicate human intelligence in machines and computer systems. This allows machines to do tasks that usually require human intelligence.
AI functions using data and algorithms that rely on AI techniques like machine learning and deep learning. It allows machines and systems to learn, reason, plan, problem solve, and make decisions without human interference.
Through machine learning, AI systems can make sense of data, or information, and get progressively better at performing various tasks without being programmed to do so. Today, AI is being used everywhere in technologies and businesses.
Our online search results, content recommendations, marketing materials, scientific research, and even self-driving vehicles, all use some form of AI technology. AI has transformed the modern world by enabling us to achieve things and automate time-consuming tasks that would otherwise be improbable.
Types of AI
There are three main types of Artificial Intelligence.
- Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI)
- Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)
- Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI)
Currently, we have only achieved narrow AI or ANI. It may sound surprising, but this type of AI is the weakest type and we have only just scratched the surface of what AI can achieve. As developments continue to unfold and the technology evolves, we may achieve general AI, but we aren’t there yet.
Experts believe that we will likely achieve AGI before 2050, but this is an extremely optimistic view, as you will learn ahead.
AI tools and solutions already influence a lot of modern commerce and the way we do business. Through Business Intelligence (BI), businesses use data and AI technologies to speed up decision-making, predict outcomes, and optimize functions, that would be unattainable for humans.
Let’s dive deeper into each of the three types if AI to learn more about each.
● Artificial Narrow Intelligence (ANI)
All AI technologies can be categorized by their ability to simulate or replicate human characteristics, their applications, and a few other factors. Narrow AI is categorized as narrow because it has a narrow range of abilities.
Despite being the only type of AI we have achieved, ANI is quite weak. It is typically designed to perform particular tasks and is goal-oriented. Real-world use of ANI includes speech/ image/ facial recognition, virtual/ voice assistants, drones/ robots, self-driving cars, and parsing large volumes of data.
For these specific tasks, narrow AI is exceptionally fast, accurate, and reliable. While this is incredible on its own, ANI cannot replicate human intelligence, and it can only mimic a “narrow” range of human characteristics.
There have been many breakthroughs in ANI over the years, largely due to advancements in machine learning and deep learning. For example, modern AI systems can diagnose certain diseases with incredible accuracy by replicating human-like perception and rationality.
Perhaps the most notable achievement in narrow AI is the use of natural language processing (NLP). AI today, can use NLP to understand text and speech in natural language, allowing superior human-computer interactions.
Moreover, AI equipped with data, machine learning, and deep learning can also enable systems to use real-time and historical data to produce actionable information. Businesses and other organizations can use this information for informed decision-making.
● Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)
Artificial general intelligence or AGI is the next type of AI. It is highly regarded as a strong or deep form of AI, which we are yet to achieve. It is far more advanced than narrow AI because it allows machines and systems to replicate human intelligence and behaviors to a very high degree.
This gives them the ability to learn and apply human intelligence for problem-solving. AGI systems are capable of thinking, understanding, and acting in a manner indistinguishable from humans. Think of a human-like robot from a sci-fi movie that can do everything humans can.
To achieve this type of AI, we need to program a comprehensive set of cognitive abilities equal to human cognition for machines, which is not an easy task. AGI systems will be able to learn like humans and apply practical knowledge to a wide range of various problems, not just be incredibly efficient at singular tasks like ANI systems.
Achieving general AI is unlike achieving narrow AI because we aren’t just training machines to replicate humans, we are empowering them to understand humans. This requires us to give machines the functionalities of a human brain, which is difficult given how little we know about the human brain.
Human emotion and creativity, in particular, are highly unique, special, and incredibly difficult to replicate in machines or systems, likely even impossible.
Currently, we have difficulties with the smallest of functions like movement and sight, even with advancements in image/ facial recognition. However, we are getting better, but it will take a lot more time, research, and effort to make breakthroughs in achieving AGI.
● Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI)
Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI) is AI that surpasses human intelligence. Not only will it replicate and understand human behavior and intelligence, but it will be self-aware and conscious. This momentous milestone will allow machines to surpass the limits of human capabilities.
It is the stuff we read about and watch in sci-fi books and movies. AI will evolve independently to become so human-like that it won’t just understand our ideas, emotions, and experiences, but it will be able to produce thoughts, ideas, emotions, needs, and desires of its own.
Theoretically, ASI machines and systems would realize the pinnacle of Artificial Intelligence and be better than humans at everything. Their ability to retain, process, and analyze data would be far superior, giving them superior problem-solving and decision-making abilities than humans.
ASI’s implications on humanity are only speculation, and we do not yet understand what may happen. It could be the end of humanity, as published in so many works of fiction, or it could be the technological advancement that propels us to achieve greater things than ever imagined.
Conclusion
These were the three main types of AI, and as you can probably tell, apart from narrow AI there are too many unknowns. We have only just scratched the surface, and it has been incredible so far. Artificial Intelligence is helping us achieve bigger and better things, especially in science and business.
With the power of data and AI technologies like machine learning, AI is empowering BI tools and solutions to provide incredible business growth and efficiency. We can only imagine and hope that general AI and ASI breakthroughs will do the same.
If you want to learn more about the types of AI, or if you want to deploy Business Intelligence and AI tools and solutions for your business, please visit our website today.
