Different things come to mind for different people when they hear the words “artificial intelligence (AI).” Some envision Hollywood representations of A.I. as depicted in movies like The Terminator, The Matrix or I, Robot. Others conceive a more conservative image, such as A.I. players in video games or digital assistants like Cortana. Still, others envision the complex algorithms powering the intelligent cloud that provides helpful insights for decision-making in business. All of these are AI or, “intelligence exhibited by machines or software and the study of how to create computers and computer software that are capable of intelligent behavior.”
Though Hollywood renditions of AI are extreme exaggerations of technology far beyond what we are capable of today, they offer a cautionary warning rooted in the ethical challenges AI currently presents. AI is fundamentally “made in our image.” It is founded upon machine learning scenarios where humans provide systems with data to “create” its intelligence.