Artificial

Intelligence:
An Introduction
Week 1-2
Date: 3-12 Feb

Department of Computer Science & IT

University of Malakand
Contents

2
 Goals of this Course
• This course provides a broad introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• By the end of this lecture, students should be able to:
o Define Artificial Intelligence and understand its historical evolution.
o Differentiate between types of AI and key subfields.
o Recognize real-world applications of AI.
o Discuss ethical concerns and societal impacts of AI.
o Understand the future directions and career opportunities in AI.

• Recommended Books:
– Crash Course in AI and Expert Systems
• By Louis E. Frenzel
– Artificial Intelligence
• By Elain Rich, Mic-Graw Hill Company
– Introduction to Artificial Intelligence
• By Rajendra Akerkar

3
 What is Intelligence?
• Intelligence:
– “the capacity to learn and solve problems” (Websters dictionary)
– in particular,
• the ability to solve novel problems
• the ability to act rationally
• the ability to act like humans
– Brain: Perceive, Understand, Predict, Manipulate

• Artificial Intelligence
– build and understand intelligent entities or agents
– How to use the properties of brain in “machines”.
• AI: The name coined in 1956 (McCarthy)
– New discipline, New ideas, Open field

4
5
 Intelligence
• From "Mainstream Science on Intelligence" (1994), an editorial statement by fifty-two researchers:
– “A very general mental capability that, among other things, involves the ability to reason, plan, solve problems,
think abstractly (conceptually), comprehend complex ideas, learn quickly and learn from experience”.
(Gottfredson, L.S., 1997).
• The capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude (ability) in
grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc.
• How humans display and perceive intelligence?
o Finds a path
o Next number in the sequence --> 1, 3, 7, 13, 21,..
o Planning
o Diagnoses and prescribes
o Answers ambiguous questions
o Recognizes patterns/fingerprints
o Understands
o Perceives
o Does MANY MORE SUCH THINGS!

6
 Artificial Intelligence

• What if?
– A machine searches through a mesh and finds a path?
– A machine solves problems like the next number in the sequence?
– A machine develops plans?
– A machine diagnoses and prescribes?
– A machine answers ambiguous questions?
– A machine recognizes fingerprints?
– A machine understands?
– A machine perceives?
– A machine does MANY MORE SUCH THINGS!
– A machine behaves as HUMANS do? HUMANOID!!!
Will that machine be considered intelligent?
What will that intelligence be?
7
 Artificial Intelligence
• Intelligence? vs • Artificial Intelligence?
o Applications? o Applications?
o Examples? o Examples?
o Improvement? o Improvement?

8
 What is Artificial Intelligence?
(John McCarthy, Stanford University)
• What is artificial intelligence?
It is the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially
intelligent computer programs. It is related to the similar task of using
computers to understand human intelligence.
• Isn't there a solid definition of intelligence that doesn't depend on relating it to human intelligence?
Not yet. The problem is that we cannot yet characterize in general what kinds of
computational procedures we want to call intelligent. We understand some of the
mechanisms of intelligence and not others.
• More in: http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/whatisai/node1.html

9
 Artificial Intelligence

• “Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the part of computer science concerned with

designing intelligent computer systems, that is, systems that exhibit
characteristics we associate with intelligence in human behavior –
understanding language, learning, reasoning, solving problems, and so on.” -
(Barr & Feigenbaum, 1981).
• Artificial intelligence is the practice of computer recognition, reasoning, and
action. It is all about bestowing machines the power of simulating human
behavior, notably cognitive capacity. However, Artificial intelligence, Machine
learning, and Data Science are all related to each other.
• Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science are
popular terms in this era

10
 Artificial Intelligence

• AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are

programmed to think, learn, and make decisions. It involves creating systems
that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as
problem-solving, reasoning, perception, and language understanding.
• Key Characteristics of AI:
• Learning: Ability to improve performance over time (e.g., machine
learning).
• Reasoning: Making decisions based on data and rules.
• Perception: Interpreting sensory inputs (e.g., computer vision,
speech recognition).
• Adaptation: Adjusting to new environments or data.

11
 A Brief History of AI
• 1950s: Alan Turing proposes the Turing Test to evaluate machine
intelligence.
• 1956: The term "Artificial Intelligence" is coined at the Dartmouth
Conference.
• 1960s-1970s: Early AI systems focus on symbolic reasoning and
problem-solving (e.g., ELIZA, SHRDLU).
• 1980s: Rise of expert systems and rule-based AI.
• 1990s-2000s: Machine learning and neural networks gain traction.
• 2010s-Present: Deep learning revolutionizes AI with breakthroughs in
image recognition, natural language processing, and more.

12
 Applications of Artificial Intelligence
• AI is now being used in almost every sector of business:
• Transportation
• Healthcare
• Banking
• Retail
• Entertainment
• E-Commerce
• Agriculture
• Education
• Now that you know what AI really is, let’s look at what are the different types of
artificial intelligence?
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMLsHI8aV0g
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uReVvICTrCM

13
 Types of Artificial Intelligence
• Artificial Intelligence can be broadly classified into several types based on capabilities,
functionalities, and technologies. Here's an overview of the different types of AI:
• Based on Capabilities
• Narrow AI (Weak AI): AI specialized in one task (e.g., Siri, Google Assistant).
– This type of AI is designed to perform a narrow task (e.g., facial recognition, internet searches, or
driving a car).
– Most current AI systems, including those that can play complex games like chess and Go, fall
under this category.
– They operate under a limited pre-defined range or set of contexts.
• General AI (Strong AI): Hypothetical AI with human-like cognitive abilities.
– A type of AI endowed with broad human-like cognitive capabilities, enabling it to tackle new and
unfamiliar tasks autonomously.
– Such a robust AI framework possesses the capacity to discern, assimilate, and utilize its intelligence
to resolve any challenge without needing human guidance.
• Superintelligent AI: Theoretical AI surpassing human intelligence.
– This represents a future form of AI where machines could surpass human intelligence across all
fields, including creativity, general wisdom, and problem-solving.
– Superintelligence is speculative and not yet realized.
14
 Based on Functionalities
• Reactive Machines: No memory, only reacts (e.g., IBM’s Deep Blue).
– These AI systems do not store memories or past experiences for future actions. They
analyze and respond to different situations. IBM's Deep Blue, which beat Garry Kasparov
at chess, is an example.
• Limited Memory: Learns from past experiences (e.g., self-driving cars).
– These AI systems can make informed and improved decisions by studying the past data
they have collected. Most present-day AI applications, from chatbots and virtual
assistants to self-driving cars, fall into this category.
• Theory of Mind: Future AI that understands emotions and human intent.
– This is a more advanced type of AI that researchers are still working on. It would entail
understanding and remembering emotions, beliefs, needs, and depending on those,
making decisions. This type requires the machine to understand humans truly.
• Self-aware AI: Hypothetical AI with consciousness.
– This represents the future of AI, where machines will have their own consciousness,
sentience, and self-awareness. This type of AI is still theoretical and would be capable of
understanding and possessing emotions, which could lead them to form beliefs and
desires.
15
 Based on Technologies
• Machine Learning (ML)
– AI systems capable of self-improvement through experience, without direct programming. They
concentrate on creating software that can independently learn by accessing and utilizing data.
• Deep Learning
– A subset of ML involving many layers of neural networks. It is used for learning from large amounts of
data and is the technology behind voice control in consumer devices, image recognition, and many
other applications.
• Natural Language Processing (NLP)
– This AI technology enables machines to understand and interpret human language. It's used in
chatbots, translation services, and sentiment analysis applications.
• Robotics
– This field involves designing, constructing, operating, and using robots and computer systems for
controlling them, sensory feedback, and information processing.
• Computer Vision
– This technology allows machines to interpret the world visually, and it's used in various applications
such as medical image analysis, surveillance, and manufacturing.
• Expert Systems
– These AI systems answer questions and solve problems in a specific domain of expertise using rule-
based systems.
16
 Conventional Programming vs Artificial Intelligence

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and conventional programming are two distinct

approaches to solving problems using computers. While both involve writing
code, they differ fundamentally in their methodologies, goals, and
applications. Here's a breakdown of the key differences:
• Conventional Programming:
• Follows a rule-based approach.
• The programmer explicitly defines the rules and logic for solving a problem.
• The program executes these predefined instructions step by step to produce an output.
• Example: Writing a program to calculate the sum of two numbers.
• Artificial Intelligence:
• Follows a data-driven approach.
• Instead of explicitly programming rules, the system learns patterns and rules from data.
• The program adapts and improves its performance over time based on the data it processes.
• Example: Training a machine learning model to recognize handwritten digits.

17
 Conventional Programming vs Artificial Intelligence

• Input and Output

• Conventional Programming:
• Input: Specific, well-defined data.
• Output: Deterministic and predictable results based on the
programmed logic.
• Example: A calculator program always produces the same output for a
given input (e.g., 2 + 2 = 4).
• Artificial Intelligence:
• Input: Large amounts of data, often unstructured (e.g., images, text,
audio).
• Output: Probabilistic and adaptive results based on learned patterns.
• Example: A facial recognition system may identify a person with a
certain confidence level, but the result is not always 100% certain.
18
 Conventional Programming vs Artificial Intelligence

• Flexibility and Adaptability

• Conventional Programming:
• Rigid and inflexible.
• The program can only perform tasks it was explicitly designed for.
• Changes or updates require manual modification of the code.
• Example: A program to sort a list of numbers cannot suddenly start
recognizing faces without significant reprogramming.
• Artificial Intelligence:
• Flexible and adaptive.
• AI systems can generalize from data and handle new, unseen scenarios.
• They improve over time with more data and training.
• Example: A recommendation system (like Netflix or Spotify) adapts to
user preferences and suggests new content.
19
 Conventional Programming vs Artificial Intelligence

• Complexity of Problems
• Conventional Programming:
• Best suited for problems with clear, well-defined rules and logic.
• Struggles with tasks that require perception, reasoning, or learning.
• Example: Writing a program to play chess requires hardcoding all
possible moves and strategies.
• Artificial Intelligence:
• Excels at solving complex, ambiguous problems that involve
perception, reasoning, or decision-making.
• Can handle tasks that are difficult to define with explicit rules.
• Example: Training an AI to play chess by learning from millions of
games rather than hardcoding rules.

20
 Conventional Programming vs Artificial Intelligence

• Development Process
• Conventional Programming:
• The programmer writes code to solve a specific problem.
• Testing involves verifying that the program produces the correct
output for given inputs.
• Example: Writing a program to calculate tax based on income
brackets.
• Artificial Intelligence:
• The programmer designs a model and trains it on data.
• Testing involves evaluating the model's performance on unseen data
and refining it.
• Example: Training a spam detection model using labeled email data
and testing its accuracy on new emails.
21
 Conventional Programming vs Artificial Intelligence

• Examples
• Conventional Programming:
• Calculator apps.
• Sorting algorithms.
• Database management systems.
• Artificial Intelligence:
• Self-driving cars.
• Voice assistants (e.g., Siri, Alexa).
• Image recognition systems.

22
 Conventional Programming vs Artificial Intelligence

Aspect Conventional Programming Artificial Intelligence

Approach Rule-based Data-driven
Input Specific, well-defined data Large, often unstructured data
Output Deterministic Probabilistic
Flexibility Rigid Adaptive

Problem Complexity Solves well-defined problems Solves complex, ambiguous problems

Development Process Write explicit rules and logic Train models on data

Self-driving cars, recommendation

Examples Calculator, sorting algorithms
systems

23
Turing Test
 Human beings are
intelligent
 To be called intelligent,
a machine must
produce responses
that are Alan Turing
indistinguishable from
those of a human
 Turing Test to judge intelligence
• The Turing’s test proposed by Alan Turing was designed to provide a satisfactory operational
definition of intelligence.
• Rather than proposing a long and perhaps controversial list of qualifications required for
intelligence, he suggested a test based on indistinguishability from undeniably intelligent entities-
human beings.
• For a computer to pass Turing test, it would need to posses the following capabilities:
– Natural language processing to enable it to communicated in human language.
– Knowledge representation to store what it knows or hears.
– Automated reasoning to use the stored information to answer questions and to draw new conclusions.
– Machine learning to adapt to new circumstances and to detect and extrapolate patterns.
• So called total Turing’s test would ideally include a video signal for an interrogator to test the
subject perceptual abilities.
– Computer vision to perceive objects and
– Robotics to manipulate objects and move about.
• These six disciplines compose most of AI.
25
 Turing Test: A test of a machine’s ability to exhibit intelligent
behaviour
• The test has a human query a
computer via a remotely located
computer terminal.
• At the end of terminal
– Either a computer with AI
software OR
– Another terminal with human
operator
• The human making the query
doesn’t know which (Machine or
Human).
• Assume it is computer.
• During exchange the operator
believes that he is talking to
another human, then the
computer is said to be intelligent.
26
 The effectiveness of intelligence test
• Tough to identify intelligence.
– Any test has only limited value and effectiveness
• It may work for some cases but not others.
• The Big Problem !!!
– It is difficult to visualize intelligence
– It means too many things.
• A professor at Uni. Of California at Berkeley (Prof. Hubert Dreyfus)
– We will never be able to establish for all of the ways we think
– It is just too complex.
• We are getting closer to smarter machine each Year.

• But there are still many questions to be answered.

27
Advantages VS Disadvantages of AI
Advantages of A.I ?

29
 Advantages of AI
• Reduction in Human Error
– The decisions taken by AI in every step is decided by information previously gathered and a certain set of algorithms.
When programmed properly, these errors can be reduced to null.
• Risk Mitigation/Reduction
– AI systems (Robots) can be deployed in dangerous situation without loss/damage to human
lives.
• Unbiased Decision
– AI systems can take decision based on data and algorithms without any emotions and this
reduce bias in decision making.
• Increased Availability
– AI systems are available 24/7 and do not get tired or bored of repetitive jobs.
• Improves Lives
– AI can be used to assist humans in different situations to improve human living conditions.

30
Disadvantages of AI?

31
 Disadvantages of AI
• High Cost
– AI systems require plenty of time and resources and can cost a huge deal of money. AI also
needs to operate on the latest hardware and software to stay updated and meet the latest
requirements, thus making it quite costly.
• Increased Unemployment
– One application of artificial intelligence is a robot, which is displacing occupations and
increasing unemployment (in a few cases). Therefore, some claim that there is always a
chance of unemployment as a result of chatbots and robots replacing humans.
• Makes human lazy
– AI applications automate the majority of tedious and repetitive tasks. Since we do not have to
memorize things or solve puzzles to get the job done, we tend to use our brains less and less.
This addiction to AI can cause problems to future generations.
• Emotionless
– There is no denying that robots are superior to humans in some tasks when functioning
effectively, but it is also true that human connections, which form the basis of teams, cannot
be replaced by computers.

32
THE END

33