What is artificial intelligence?

At its simplest, artificial intelligence (AI) is the process of using computers to make decisions or carry out tasks that would typically require human intelligence. This can include anything from self-driving cars and recommendations on what to watch or buy, to more complex tasks such as identifying cancerous cells in a patient's body or automatically translating text from one language to another.

What's driving the renewed interest in AI?

A number of factors are driving the current interest in artificial intelligence. First, there has been a rapid increase in computing power and data storage capacity over the past few years. This has made it possible to process and store the large amounts of data that are needed to train AI systems.

Second, new algorithms have been developed that can learn from data in a way that is similar to how humans learn. These "deep learning" algorithms have been able to achieve impressive results in a number of tasks, such as image recognition and machine translation.

Finally, there is a growing recognition of the potential of AI to transform a number of industries and enable new applications that were not previously possible. This is leading to increased investment in AI by both government and industry.

Why should we care about AI?

There are a number of reasons why we should care about artificial intelligence. First, AI has the potential to improve our lives in a number of ways. For example, by automating tedious and dangerous tasks, by providing us with personalized recommendations, and by helping us to make better decisions.

Second, AI also poses a number of risks that we need to be aware of and manage. For example, as AI systems become more capable, there is a risk of them becoming uncontrollable and even malicious. There is also a danger that AI could be used to unfairly manipulate or deceive people.

Finally, we should care about AI because it is likely to have a profound impact on our societies and economies in the years to come. As AI systems become more widespread, they will increasingly shape the world around us. It is important that we understand the implications of this and ensure that AI is developed in a way that is beneficial to humanity as a whole.