What is AI?

Learn About This Field That is Impacting Our World

  • AI can mean many different things

    Even experts have a hard time agreeing on a single definition for AI. At AI4ALL, we think about AI as a branch of computer science that allows computers to make predictions and decisions to solve problems. When you hear that AI is being used in a product, that usually refers to an area of AI called machine learning. Machine learning (ML) is an approach to teach computers how to make decisions and predictions, by giving them the ability to learn from data.

  • AI is already impacting your day-to-day life

    You may have heard about artificial intelligence (AI) in the news or on social media, but did you know that it’s already being widely used? Examples are all around us.

    • Social media face filters
    • Content recommendations
    • Language translation apps

  • What kind of problems can AI solve?

    AI has a ton of potential to be used to solve big problems you care about. Here are just a few ways AI can be used for good.

    • Diagnosing diseases like cancer
    • Protecting endangered species
    • Aiding in disaster relief

  • The risks of AI

    Though AI can be used in positive ways, it’s important to note that it can also exclude or harm certain groups of people, especially when a diverse set of AI creators is not involved in developing the technology. Because AI can reflect the biases of the people creating it (sometimes without them even knowing), it is important to include a wide range of people and perspectives in the AI field. When AI is created by groups that reflect the world we live in, we believe AI solutions will be more innovative, more ethical, and will solve new problems.

Why should you learn about AI?

The field of AI has developed a set of tools you can use to make change, get creative, solve problems, and more. Bringing your unique perspective and lived experiences to the field, you can help use this powerful technology in positive and beneficial ways. There are a wide range of jobs you can have in AI. Here are just a few examples.

Timnit Gebru,
AI researcher

Ayanna Howard,
Roboticist

Yizel Vizcarra,
Conversation engineer

Mira Lane,
Artist

 

Ready to take a deeper dive into AI?

We run AI education programs for high school students. Read more about our summer programs and our Open Learning program to learn which program is right for you.