AI Basics: Beginner's Guide Tutorial
AI Basics: Beginner's Guide Tutorial
Experts
By Tanuja Bahirat
Aug 1, 2021
This Artificial Intelligence tutorial provides basic and intermediate information on concepts
of Artificial Intelligence. It is designed to help students and working professionals who are
complete beginners. In this tutorial, our focus will be on artificial intelligence, if you wish to
learn more about machine learning, you can check out this tutorial for complete beginners
tutorial of Machine Learning.
Through the course of this Artificial Intelligence tutorial, we will look at various concepts
such as the meaning of artificial intelligence, the levels of AI, why AI is important, it’s
various applications, the future of artificial intelligence, and more.
Usually, to work in the field of AI, you need to have a lot of experience. Thus, we will also
discuss the various job profiles which are associated with artificial intelligence and will
eventually help you to attain relevant experience. You don’t need to be from a specific
background before joining the field of AI as it is possible to learn and attain the skills needed.
While the terms Data Science, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine learning fall in the
same domain and are connected, they have their specific applications and meaning. Simply
put, artificial intelligence aims at enabling machines to execute reasoning by replicating
human intelligence. Since the main objective of AI processes is to teach machines from
experience, feeding the right information and self-correction is crucial.
At the core of Artificial Intelligence, it is a branch of computer science that aims to create or
replicate human intelligence in machines. But what makes a machine intelligent? Many AI
systems are powered with the help of machine learning and deep learning algorithms. AI is
constantly evolving, what was considered to be part of AI in the past may now just be looked
at as a computer function. For example, a calculator may have been considered to be a part of
AI in the past. Now, it is considered to be a simple function. Similarly, there are various
levels of AI, let us understand those.
Currently, Artificial Intelligence is shared by all the different tools and techniques have been
invented by us over the last thousand years – to simplify human effort, and to help us make
better decisions. Artificial Intelligence is one such creation that will help us in further
inventing ground-breaking tools and services that would exponentially change how we lead
our lives, by hopefully removing strife, inequality and human suffering.
We are still a long way from those kinds of outcomes. But it may come around in the future.
Artificial Intelligence is currently being used mostly by companies to improve their process
efficiencies, automate resource-heavy tasks, and to make business predictions based on data
available to us. As you see, AI is significant to us in several ways. It is creating new
opportunities in the world, helping us improve our productivity, and so much more.
Also known as narrow AI or weak AI, Artificial narrow intelligence is goal-oriented and is
designed to perform singular tasks. Although these machines are seen to be intelligent, they
function under minimal limitations, and thus, are referred to as weak AI. It does not mimic
human intelligence; it stimulates human behaviour based on certain parameters. Narrow AI
makes use of NLP or natural language processing to perform tasks. This is evident in
technologies such as chatbots and speech recognition systems such as Siri. Making use of
deep learning allows you to personalise user experience, such as virtual assistants who store
your data to make your future experience better.
Also known as strong AI or deep AI, artificial general intelligence refers to the concept
through which machines can mimic human intelligence while showcasing the ability to apply
their intelligence to solve problems. Scientists have not been able to achieve this level of
intelligence yet. Significant research needs to be done before this level of intelligence can be
achieved. Scientists would have to find a way through which machines can become conscious
through programming a set of cognitive abilities. A few properties of deep AI are-
Recognition
Recall
Hypothesis testing
Imagination
Analogy
Implication
It is difficult to predict whether strong AI will continue to advance or not in the foreseeable
future, but with speech and facial recognition continuously showing advancements, there is a
slight possibility that we can expect growth in this level of AI too.
Let us now understand the difference between weak AI and strong AI.
Weak AI Strong AI
It is a wider application with a more vast
It is a narrow application with a limited scope.
scope.
This application has an incredible human-
This application is good at specific tasks.
level intelligence.
It uses supervised and unsupervised learning It uses clustering and association to process
to process data. data.
Example: Siri, Alexa. Example: Advanced Robotics
Applications of Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence has paved its way into several industries and areas today. From gaming
to healthcare, the application of AI has increased immensely. Did you know that the Google
Maps applications and facial recognition such as on the iPhone are all using AI technology to
function? AI is all around us and is part of our daily lives more than we know it. If you wish
to learn more about AI, you can take up the PGP Artificial Intelligence and Machine
Learning Course offered by Great Learning. Here are a few applications of Artificial
Intelligence.
Now that we know these are the areas where AI is applied, let us understand these in a more
detailed way. Google has partnered with DeepMind to improve the accuracy of traffic
predictions. With the help of historical traffic data as well as the live data, they can make
accurate predictions through AI technology and machine learning algorithms. An intelligent
personal assistant can perform tasks based on commands given by us. It is a software agent
and can perform tasks such as sending messages, performing a google search, recording a
voice note, chatbots, and more.
1. Problem-solving: Researchers developed algorithms that were able to imitate the step-by-
step process that humans use while solving a puzzle. In the late 1980s and 1990s, research
had reached a stage wherein methods had been developed to deal with incomplete or
uncertain information. But for difficult problems, there is a need for enormous computational
resources and memory power. Thus, the search for efficient problem-solving algorithms is
one of the goals of artificial intelligence.
3. Planning: One of the goals of AI should be to set intelligent goals and achieve them.
Being able to make predictions about how actions will impact change, and what are the
choices available. An AI agent will need to assess its environment and accordingly make
predictions. This is why planning is important and can be considered as a goal of AI.
4. Learning: One of the fundamental concepts of AI, machine learning, is the study of
computer algorithms that continue to improve over time through experience. There are
different types of ML. The commonly known types of are Unsupervised Machine Learning
and Supervised Machine Learning. To learn more about these concepts, you can read our
blog on what ML means and how it works.
5. Social Intelligence: Affective computing is essentially the study of systems that can
interpret, recognize, and process human efforts. It is a confluence of computer science,
psychology, and cognitive science. Social intelligence is another goal of AI as it is important
to understand these fields before building algorithms.
Thus, the overall goal of AI is to create technologies that can incorporate the above goals and
create an intelligent machine that can help us work efficiently, make decisions faster, and
improve security.
If you are someone who hails from a background in Data Science or applied research, the role
of a Machine Learning Engineer is suitable for you. You must demonstrate an understanding
of multiple programming languages such as Python, Java. Having an understanding of
predictive models and being able to leverage Natural Language Processing while working
with enormous datasets will prove to be beneficial. Being familiar with software development
IDE tools such as IntelliJ and Eclipse will help you further advance your career as a machine
learning engineer. You will mainly be responsible for building and managing several
machine learning projects among other responsibilities.
As an ML engineer, you will receive an annual median salary of $114,856. Companies look
for skilled professionals who have a masters degree in the related field and have in-depth
knowledge regarding machine learning concepts, Java, Python, and Scala. The requirements
will vary depending on the hiring company, but analytical skills and cloud applications are
seen as a plus point.
2. Data Scientist
As a Data Scientist, your tasks include collecting, analyzing, and interpreting large &
complex datasets by leveraging machine learning and predictive analytics tools. Data
Scientists are also responsible for developing algorithms that enable collecting and cleaning
data for further analysis and interpretation. The annual median salary of a Data Scientist is
$120,931, and the skills required are as follows:
Hive
Hadoop
MapReduce
Pig
Spark
Python
Scala
SQL
The skills required may vary from company to company, and depending on your experience
level. Most hiring companies look for a masters degree or a doctoral degree in the field of
data science or computer science. If you’re a Data Scientist who wants to become an AI
developer, an advanced computer science degree proves to be beneficial. You must have the
ability to understand unstructured data, and have strong analytical and communication skills.
These skills are essential as you will work on communicating findings with business leaders.
When you’re looking at the different job roles in AI, it also includes the position of Business
Intelligence (BI) developer. The objective of this role is to analyze complex datasets that help
us identify business and market trends. A BI developer earns an annual median salary of
$92,278. A BI developer is responsible for designing, modeling, and maintaining complex
data in cloud-based data platforms. If you are interested to work as a BI developer, you must
have strong technical as well as analytical skills.
Having great communication skills is important because you will work on communicating
solutions to colleagues who don’t possess technical knowledge. You should also display
problem-solving skills. A BI developer is typically required to have a bachelor’s degree in
any related field, and work experience will give you additional points too. Certifications are
highly desired and are looked at as an additional quality. The skills required for a BI
developer would be data mining, SQL queries, SQL server reporting services, BI
technologies, and data warehouse design.
4. Research Scientist
A research scientist is one of the leading careers in Artificial Intelligence. You should be an
expert in multiple disciplines, such as mathematics, deep learning, machine learning, and
computational statistics. Candidates must have adequate knowledge concerning computer
perception, graphical models, reinforcement learning, and NLP. Similar to Data Scientists,
research scientists are expected to have a master’s or doctoral degree in computer science.
The annual median salary is said to be $99,809. Most companies are on the lookout for
someone who has an in-depth understanding of parallel computing, distributed computing,
benchmarking and machine learning.
Big Data Engineer/Architects have the best-paying job among all the roles that come under
Artificial Intelligence. The annual median salary of a Big Data Engineer/Architect is
$151,307. They play a vital role in the development of an ecosystem that enables business
systems to communicate with each other and collate data. Compared to Data Scientists, Big
data Architects receive tasks related to planning, designing, and developing an efficient big
data environment on platforms such as Spark and Hadoop. Companies typically look to hire
individuals who demonstrate experience in C++, Java, Python, and Scala.
Data mining, data visualization, and data migration skills are an added benefit. Another bonus
would be a PhD in mathematics or any related computer science field.
All decisions taken in an AI model are taken from previously gathered information after
having applied a set of algorithms. This enables the errors to be reduced, and the chances of
accuracy increase with a greater degree of accuracy. In the case of humans performing any
task, there’s always a slight chance of error. Since we are capable of making errors, it is
better to make use of programs and algorithms through AI as they lower the chance of errors.
2. Available 24×7
Artificial intelligence models are built to work 24/7 without any breaks or boredom. When
compared to an average human who can work for six to eight hours in a day, this is
significantly more efficient. Human beings do not have the capacity to work for longer
durations as we would require rest and time to rejuvenate. Thus, AI is available 24/7 and
improves efficiency to a greater extent.
Artificial Intelligence can productively automate mundane human tasks. It can help us in
becoming increasingly creative – right from sending a thank you mail to decluttering or
answering queries. It can also help us in verifying documents. A repetitive task such as
making food in a restaurant or a factory can be ruined because humans become tired or
uninterested after a long duration of work. AI can help us in performing these repetitive tasks
efficiently and without error.
4. Digital assistance
Several organizations, who are highly advanced, make use of digital assistants to interact
with users. Doing so helps the organization to save costs on human resources. Digital
assistants such as Chatbots are typically used in an organization’s website to answer user
queries. It also provides a smooth functioning interface and good user experience. Chatbots
are a great example of the same. Read here to know more about how to build an AI Chatbot.
5. Faster decisions
AI, alongside other such technologies, can help machines take faster decisions when
compared to an average human being. This helps in carrying out actions quickly. This is
because, while making a decision, humans tend to analyze factors through emotions as
opposed to AI-powered machines that deliver programmed results quickly.
We as humans may have evolved to a great extent technologically, but when it comes to
decision making, we still allow our emotions to take over. In certain situations, it is really
important to take quick, efficient and logical decisions without our emotions coming into the
picture. AI-powered decision making is controlled by AI algorithms, and thus, there is no
scope for any emotional discrepancy. Rational decisions with the help of AI ensures that
efficiency will not be affected, and also increases an organization’s productivity level.
7. Medical applications
Among all other advantages of AI, one of the greatest applications is its use in the medical
field. Doctors can assess their patients’ health risks with the help of AI-powered medical
applications. Radio-surgery is being used to operate on tumors in such a way that it won’t
damage surrounding tissues and cause any additional issues. Medical professionals have been
trained to use AI for surgery. They can also help in efficiently detecting and monitoring
various neurological disorders and stimulate the brain functions.
8. Improves Security
As technology continues to advance, there is a higher chance of people using it for unethical
reasons such as fraud or identity theft. If used in the right manner and for the right reasons,
AI can prove to be a great resource in improving our organization’s security. AI can be used
to protect our data and finances. AI is being implemented majorly in the field of cyber-
security. It has transformed our ability to secure our personal data against any cyber-threats
or attacks of any form. Read further to know about AI in Cyber-security and how it helps,
here.
9. Efficient Communication
People from different parts of the world speak different languages, and thus, find it hard to
communicate with each other. When we look at the past, we see how human translators
would help people communicate with each other if the other person did not understand the
same language as us. Such problems do not occur if we make use of AI. Natural Language
Processing allows systems to translate words from one natural language to another, thus
eliminating the middleman. One of the best examples of this is Google translate, and how it
has advanced over time. Now, it provides audio examples of how words/sentences should be
pronounced, thus, improving our accuracy and ability to communicate effectively.
Cost overruns
Dearth of talent
Lack of practical products
Lack of standards in software development
Potential for misuse
Highly dependent on machines
Requires Supervision
1. Cost overruns
2. Dearth of talent
AI is still a field which is developing. Thus, finding professionals who are equipped with all
the required skills is not easy. There is a gap between the number of jobs available in the field
of AI vs the skilled workforce in the field. Hiring someone who possesses all the necessary
skills further increases the costs incurred by an organization.
The true value of Artificial Intelligence lays in collaboration when different AI systems come
together to form a bigger, more valuable application. But a lack of standards in AI software
development means that it’s difficult for different systems to ‘talk’ to each other. Artificial
Intelligence software development itself is slow and expensive because of this, which further
acts as an impediment to AI development.
Applications such as Siri and Alexa have become part of our everyday lives. We are highly
dependent on these applications and receive assistance from these applications, thus reducing
our creative ability. We are becoming highly dependent on machines and losing our on
learning simple skills, thus becoming lazier.
6. Requires Supervision
Making use of AI algorithms has a lot of advantages and is highly efficient. But it also
requires constant assistance and supervision. These algorithms cannot work without us
programming them and checking if they are functioning in the right manner or not. One
example is Microsoft’s AI chat-bot named ‘Tay’. Tay was modeled to speak like a teenage
girl by learning through online conversations. But since it was programmed to learn basic
conversational skills and didn’t know the difference between right and wrong, it went ahead
and tweeted highly political and incorrect information because of internet trolls.
As you can see, the model performed exceptionally well by getting 92% accuracy on the
testing data. Now, if you are given the attributes of any of the animal in the above dataset,
you can classify it with the help of the above model.
AI is still developing. There is a huge scope for improvement and advancements in the field
of AI, and although there might be some amount of upskilling required to keep up with the
changing trends, AI will most likely not replace or reduce jobs in the future. In fact, a study
by Gartner suggests that AI-related jobs will reach two million net-new jobs by the year
2025. The adoption of AI will help in making tasks easier for an organization. To stay
relevant in the constantly changing world, it is necessary to upskill and learn these new
concepts.
How AI Works?
Philosophy
Mathematics
Economics
Neuroscience
Psychology
Computer Engineering
Control Theory and Cybernetics
Linguistics
Artificial Intelligence and Robotics are usually seen as two different things. AI involves
programming intelligence whereas robotics involves building physical robots. However, the
two concepts are correlated. Robotics does use AI techniques and algorithms and AI bridges
the gap between the two. These robots can be controlled by AI programs.
From music recommendations, map directions, mobile banking to fraud prevention, AI and
other technologies have taken over. AI is important because of a number of reasons. There
are several advantages to AI, such as, Reduction in human error, available 24×7, helps in
repetitive work, digital assistance, faster decisions and more.
Weak AI is a narrow application with a limited scope. It uses supervised and unsupervised
learning to process data. Example: Siri, Alexa.
Artificial Intelligence can be divided mainly into six branches. They are, Machine learning,
neural networks, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, Natural language processing, Cognitive
Computing.
The four typical types of Artificial Intelligence are Reactive Machines, Limited Memory,
Theory of Mind, and Self Aware.
The basics of Artificial Intelligence are Advanced Math and Stats, programming language,
Machine Learning, and a lot of patience. You must know that Artificial Intelligence and
Machine Learning include machine learning, python code, computer science, natural
language processing, data science, math, psychology, neuroscience, and many other
disciplines.
Is AI difficult to learn?
Artificial Intelligence is not tough; however, you would be required to spend time on it. The
more the number of projects you work on, the better you will get at it. Along with skills, you
need the determination to learn AI.