HAW: Overview

A digital brain rises out of a tablet being held by a human hand.How AI Works

Introduction

Have you ever witnessed someone trying to take a young child’s tablet or phone away? Depending on the environment or circumstance, in many cases the device is returned to the child very quickly. Once a child has a device, they do not want to let it go.

Now, let’s substitute the child in that scenario with all humans and let’s substitute the device with AI. There is no letting go, going back, or collectively returning to a life without AI. Whether we choose to maximize the potential of AI, ignore the infusion of AI in every aspect of life, or quietly observe the global transition and transformative power of AI, it is abundantly clear that AI is here to stay.

From what we see and how we see, what we hear and how we hear, what we create and how we create, AI has the potential for positive and negative impacts in even our basic daily needs of living and quality of life. With that awareness, it is important that we understand what AI is and how it works. It is also equally important that we are diligent in analyzing strategies to develop AI ethically and responsibly.

Learning Questions

  1. Who posed the question ‘can machines think’?
  2. Who is recognized as the individual who first publicly coined the term ‘Artificial Intelligence’?
  3. What were the characteristics of the AI Winter?
  4. Which innovator filed 3 of 9 patents related to the creation of the original personal computer (PC)?
  5. Which innovator contributed to the development of the Global Positioning System (GPS)?
  6. Which innovator confounded an organization that advocates for diversity and inclusion in AI?
  7. How has AI impacted transportation?
  8. State three types of sensors used in autonomous vehicles and/or robots?
  9. Summarize how AI bias happens?
  10. How can negative consequences of AI be reduced?

Key Terms

  • Bias - is defined as a preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment; an unfair act or policy stemming from prejudice.
  • LIDAR - Light Direction and Ranging. Similar to radar, LIDAR detects objects by bouncing a spot of laser light off them and measuring the time it takes the light to be reflected back. LIDAR cannot see color.
  • Radar - Radio Direction and Ranging. A technique for detecting objects by bouncing radio signals off them and measuring the time it takes for the signal to return. This gives the distance to the object. Knowing where the antenna was pointed when the signal was sent gives the bearing to the object. Radar was originally used to detect aircraft, but today it is also used by self-driving cars to detect obstacles. Radio waves aren’t affected by fog, so radar can “see” in low visibility conditions where regular cameras cannot.
  • SONAR - Sonic Navigation and Ranging. Sonar works similar to radar except it uses sound waves instead of radio waves. By sending out a pulse of high-frequency sound and measuring the time it takes for the sound to be reflected back, sonar can measure distance to an object. Sonar is used by submarines to detect other vessels under water, but it also works in air. Self-driving cars may use sonar to measure distance to other cars when parallel parking. Dolphins and bats also use sonar.

[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Links to an external site.] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION - INTENDED ONLY FOR USE WITHIN LESSON.
Jirsak/Shutterstock.com. Image used under license from Shutterstock.com and may not be repurposed.