Artificial intelligence has become a broad and revolutionary tool with countless applications in our daily lives. Capable of creating robots that act with human-like responses and responding to voice requests with practical functionalities on mobile phones and speakers, artificial intelligence has attracted the attention of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) companies around the world and is considered the Fourth Technological Revolution after the proliferation of mobile and cloud platforms. Despite the innovation it projects in our lives, its history is a long process of technological advances.
Definition and origins of artificial intelligence
When we talk about “intelligence” in a technological context, we often refer to the ability of a system to use available information, learn from it, make decisions and adapt to new situations. It implies an ability to solve problems effectively, depending on existing circumstances and constraints. The term “artificial” on the other hand means that the intelligence in question is not inherent to living beings, but is created through programming and the design of computer systems.
As a result, the concept of “artificial intelligence” (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence processes by machines and computer programs. These systems are developed to perform tasks that, if carried out by humans, would require the use of intelligence, such as learning, decision-making, pattern recognition and problem solving. For example, managing huge amounts of statistical data, detecting trends and making recommendations based on them or even carrying them out.
Today, AI is not about creating new knowledge, but about collecting and processing data to get the most out of it when making decisions. It is based on three basic pillars:
- Data. This is the collected and organized information on which we want to automate tasks. It can be numbers, texts, images, etc.
- Hardware . This is the computing power that allows us to process data faster and more accurately to make software possible.
- Software . It consists of a set of instructions and calculations that allow training systems that receive data, establish patterns and can generate new information.
But what are AI algorithms? These are the rules that provide instructions for the machine. The main AI algorithms can be those that use logic , based on the rational principles of human thought, and those that combine logic or intuition (deep learning ) , which use the functioning pattern of the human brain so that the machine learns as they would.
How was artificial intelligence born?
The idea of creating machines that imitated human intelligence was present even in ancient times, with myths and legends about automata and thinking machines. However, it was not until the mid-twentieth century that their true potential was investigated, after the first electronic computers were developed.
In 1943, Warren McCulloch and Walter Pitts presented their model of artificial neurons , considered the first artificial intelligence, even though the term did not yet exist. Later, in 1950, the British mathematician Alan Turing published an article entitled “Computing machinery and intelligence” in the journal Mind, where he asked the question: Can machines think? He proposed an experiment that came to be called the Turing Test and that, according to the author, would allow determining whether the machine could have intelligent behavior similar to that of a human being or indistinguishable from it.
John McCarthy coined the term “artificial intelligence” in 1956 and pioneered the development of the first AI programming language, LISP, in the 1960s . Early AI systems focused on rules, leading to the development of more complex systems in the 1970s and 1980s, along with a boost in funding. AI has now experienced a renaissance thanks to advances in algorithms, hardware, and machine learning techniques.
As early as the 1990s, advances in computing power and the availability of large amounts of data allowed researchers to evolve learning algorithms and consolidate the foundations of today's AI. In recent years, this technology has experienced exponential growth, driven in large part by the development of deep learning , which takes advantage of artificial neural networks with multiple layers to process and interpret complex data structures. This advancement has revolutionized AI applications, including image and voice recognition, natural language processing, and autonomous systems.
Functions and purposes of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence plays a key role in digital and sustainable transformation in various sectors. Not only does it create a favourable climate for the development of an increasingly advanced digital landscape, but it is also one of the sustainable technologies with the greatest impact: it allows the reduction of the number of teams, resources or materials in organisations or companies. It offers greater productivity with less, ensuring a digital and sustainable foundation for any company.
AI has practical applications in a wide variety of sectors, with a boost in efficiency, innovation and decision making. Some of these areas are:
Health
Chatbots now exist that ask patients about their symptoms to make a diagnosis based on patterns. In addition, AI is used to develop personalized treatments based on genetic and clinical data.
Finance
Smart technology enables the assessment of risks and opportunities, improving investment and lending decision-making, and providing personalized financial advice through virtual assistants.
Education
There are educational platforms that use AI to adapt learning content to individual students’ needs. It also makes it possible to simplify administrative tasks, such as automatic marking of exams.
Agriculture
AI analyzes agricultural data to create precision agriculture by optimizing resource use, improving productivity and reducing environmental impact. In addition, AI-based drones and sensors can monitor crop health and help in early detection of diseases.
Energy
Artificial intelligence applications optimize power distribution, improving the efficiency and reliability of electrical networks, and enable the prediction of equipment failures, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.
Logistics and transport
AI plays a key role in the development of autonomous vehicles, as well as in optimizing delivery and transportation routes, reducing costs and emissions.
Commercial
Some applications of artificial intelligence allow sales forecasts to be made and the right product to be recommended to the customer.olution comparable to the one generated by the Internet. Find out more about it.
