Computer Science is a constantly updating field with many new ideas and innovations coming within the recent years as technology advances computer systems must keep up. A few innovations and new ideas can include Artificial Intelligence advancement, solid state drives that could replace regular hard disks, and better cyber security systems. In recent news an article was posted to phys.org which can be seen here, Simon James discusses Artificial Intelligence and fuzzy logic or fuzzy sets.
In Simon James’ article he discusses a few things, one of
which being Artificial Intelligence research and some misinformation about what
people think AI is and what it can do. Artificial
Intelligence or AI is intelligence that is replicated by a machine or
software. In other words, it is
something that makes a computer or machine perform activities that normally
require intelligence. But to say that
computers are thinking is just plain wrong.
AI more or less allows the machines to try and be more like humans
almost mimic their behavior in simulated ways through mathematical process, not
thinking on their own. Which brings us
into the ways that AI can work and the research that it produces.
A primary area of research for AI is the framework of fuzzy
logic or fuzzy sets. Fuzzy sets are a
good way to use math to represent what we know to a given subject. A better explanation of fuzzy sets can be described
using the basis of binary, which is the very barebones of machine code, 1 or 0,
or even easier to explain true or false.
Fuzzy sets manage many decision processes that can be managed through
binary in computers. Fuzzy sets can be
explained when attributes in an algorithm are not necessarily true or false or
cannot be determined as such. An example
given is an algorithm that determines if an applicant for a job should be hired
with attributes that are ambiguous vs. unambiguous. Unambiguous: IF the job applicant is aged 25
to 30 AND has a qualification in philosophy OR literature Then arrange an
interview. Vs. Ambiguous: IF the applicant is tall AND attractive THEN the
salary offered should be higher.
Obviously the Ambiguous examples attributes cannot be determined to be
true or false because they are vague and cannot be quantified.
So what this article tells us about the future of computer
science can be that AI and fuzzy logic research will lead us into the future of
tomorrow. It tells us that we are very
far away from computers actually thinking and figuring out fuzzy sets. The ways that it will affect the areas of
human life will be a potential future where computers and machine will be mimicking
humans with greater accuracy, but not to the point where they are thinking on their
own. Like the article says the fear of
AI machines turning on us is not the danger, but rather the danger may occur if
errors are in the algorithms we put into the machines. In all honesty, we should have nothing to
worry about with all of the careful planning and algorithm checking that occurs
in today’s day and age.
I'm not very up to date with technology and how computers "think", but your article really helps to simplify it so that I can understand it. You talk about how computers are not actually thinking and but more simply mimicking humans through mathematics. Its very interesting for me to think about it this way.
ReplyDeleteThe example that you give about ambiguous and unambiguous helps me to see how computers operate. The cannot use simple logic to make decisions unless they are specifically programmed for certain types of logic. It would be pretty hard to have a computer decide what is or is not attractive when everyone's opinions of attractiveness are different.
Jesse, great article on Artificial Intelligence.
ReplyDeleteAlmost everyday I hear about AI, mostly I see it being depicted negatively in films and science fiction novels where computers end up coming to the conclusion that they do not need humans to function so they end up killing them off. For a person without a background in computer science like myself I end up forming opinions that are not based on any real evidence.
I liked that your article referenced these misunderstandings with AI and confuted them. One way you did this was by mentioning the state of which AI technology is at right now, and that is very far from making its own decisions like it is portrayed in the media. Also you gave reassurance to the reader by discussing the careful planning and checking of algorithms to prevent system errors.
Artificial intelligence is a very exciting topic and I think it will likely play a huge roll in the future. Hopefully future computer scientists and programmers continue to remain diligent in the way they write algorithms in order to prevent a science fiction horror movie from becoming a reality.
Good Read! I always think that when watching Terminator, or iRobot how a machine could think and if we could ever get there. It seems like a crazy notion to me and I don't think we could. What you said makes sense a computer that looks at everything in binary code can take specific things such as age and qualifications and it will tell you exactly what you want. But ask it for more of an opinion question, such as looks, and it won't be able to give you what you want as computers just don't see things that way. We should not ask too much of computers, but they can definitely be very beneficial. Keeping going with job applicants an employer can narrow down 200 applicants to 10 by entering key terms into a computer and it will spit out things that you are specifically looking for and you can then find someone for the job. The world is changing and we need to adapt to this as humans as well. Computers shouldn't be a crutch to be leaned on but rather an aid to make standing easier. AI will definitely be around in the future, and it is always interesting to hear how technology is progressing.
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