Dear friends, nowadays we often hear the term “AI” in our daily lives, but what exactly is it? In fact, AI is the abbreviation for Artificial Intelligence, which simply means making computer systems “smart” like humans, capable of simulating human intelligence to accomplish tasks.
In the past, machines were like obedient but somewhat “stiff” assistants. For example, if you wanted it to move something from one place to another, you had to pre-program every single action. If the situation changed in the middle, it wouldn’t know what to do. But AI is different; give it a task, and it can figure out how to complete it on its own. It’s like asking it to find a book; it can recognize and judge which book it is in the surrounding environment, even if the book looks different or is placed differently than before.
So how does AI become so “smart”? This relies on deep learning. For instance, a child might recognize an apple after seeing, touching, and tasting it a few times. However, AI needs to “see” many, many apples of various shapes, colors, and sizes, and learn from a large amount of data to accurately identify an apple. Moreover, the way AI recognizes things is somewhat different from humans; we rely on life experiences and feelings, while AI judges by analyzing various data features.
AI has many applications in our daily lives!
Let’s start at home; many smart speakers are a great example of AI. You just need to say a word, and it can help you play your favorite operas, storytelling, check the weather, and control smart devices like lights and curtains in your home. For instance, after a long day, when you return home, you can just say “turn on the living room light” or “pull the curtains”, and without lifting a finger, the task is done. How convenient!
In terms of health, AI has also been a big help. Some smart bracelets and smartwatches can monitor our heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep patterns in real-time. If there’s anything wrong with the data, it can alert us promptly and record this health data for us to understand our physical condition better. Moreover, some hospitals now use AI to assist doctors in diagnosing by analyzing a large number of medical records and test results, helping doctors make more accurate judgments about conditions.
When it comes to travel, AI is also everywhere. Navigation software is a powerful AI application. When we want to go somewhere, we just need to input the destination, and it can plan the fastest and most suitable route based on real-time traffic conditions. If there’s a traffic jam, it can adjust the route in time, helping us avoid unnecessary detours. Also, the emergence of autonomous vehicles in some cities is another example of AI at work, making driving easier and safer.
When shopping, AI is quietly serving us too. E-commerce platforms recommend products we might like based on our browsing and purchasing history. This makes it easier for us to find items, and we might even discover some good things we hadn’t noticed before but really need.
AI is also indispensable in the entertainment field. Some video apps can recommend TV shows and movies that match our viewing habits. In addition, the computer opponents in some games are becoming smarter, thanks to the support of AI.
Editor: Ma Huaiyu
