What is AI?
While artificial intelligence (AI) technologies make (to varying degrees) use of data, algorithms and computing power, so do many other types of information systems. Furthermore, while all AI systems rely on sophisticated algorithms, some require large amounts of data, others large amounts of computation, and yet others both.
What distinguishes AI approaches from other kinds of computation is that they exhibit key aspects of behaviour considered as intelligent in humans, and thus enable fundamentally new levels of automation and delegation.
Definition
AI thus encompasses algorithms and systems that can replicate, support or surpass human perceptual, linguistic and reasoning processes; learn, draw conclusions and make predictions based on large or small quantities of data; replicate or enhance human perception; support humans in diagnosis, planning, scheduling, resource allocation and decision making; and cooperate physically and intellectually with humans and other AI systems.
Research and Application Areas
We categorise AI into 12 Research Areas and 12 Application Areas:
Areas of AI Research: |
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Machine Learning |
Automated Reasoning |
Search and Optimisation |
Planning and Scheduling |
Multi-Agent Systems |
Knowledge Representation |
Natural Language Processing |
Computer Vision |
Robotics |
AI Hardware & High-Performance Computing |
Human-Machine Interaction |
Ethical, Legal, Social Issues |
AI Application Areas: |
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Efficient and safe transportation |
Advanced healthcare |
Smart industry (production, services, logistics, …) |
Effective and sustainable agriculture |
Next-generation learning and education |
Energy (production, storage, distribution, management, …) |
Environment (protection, monitoring, management, …) |
Accelerated scientific research |
Financial markets and services (incl. fintech) |
Public sector and citizen services (incl. govtech) |
Media and entertainment |
Safety and security |
Human-centred AI
Human-centred artificial intelligence is AI that augments, rather than replaces, human intelligence. Human-centred AI systems aim to help human experts and users to overcome their limitations and biases, to provide them with new abilities to perceive and understand complex phenomena, to individually and collectively solve problems, and to enhance their creativity and experience.
AI4Good and AI4All
We have a focus on AI for Good and AI for All, defined as follows:
AI for Good: AI that benefits society, in particular, by helping realise the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
AI for All: AI that benefits all of society rather than merely a limited set of stakeholders
See also our brAInfoods series for broadly accessible explanations of different aspects of AI.
We have an ambitious vision on building and supporting excellence in AI.