Elements of AI

II.Related fields
In addition to AI, there are several other closely related topics that
are good to know at least by name. These include machine learning,
data science, and deep learning.

Machine learning can be said to be a subfield of AI, which itself is a subfield of

computer science (such categories are often somewhat imprecise and some parts
of machine learning could be equally well or better belong to statistics). Machine
learning enables AI solutions that are adaptive. A concise definition can be given as
follows:
Key terminology

Machine learning
Systems that improve their performance in a given task with more and more experience
or data.

Deep learning is a subfield of machine learning, which itself is a subfield of AI,

which itself is a subfield of computer science. We will meet deep learning in some
more detail in Chapter 5, but for now let us just note that the “depth” of deep
learning refers to the complexity of a mathematical model, and that the increased
computing power of modern computers has allowed researchers to increase this
complexity to reach levels that appear not only quantitatively but also qualitatively
different from before. As you notice, science often involves a number of
progressively more special subfields, subfields of subfields, and so on. This enables
researchers to zoom into a particular topic so that it is possible to catch up with the
ever increasing amount of knowledge accrued over the years, and produce new
knowledge on the topic — or sometimes, correct earlier knowledge to be more
accurate.

Data science is a recent umbrella term (term that covers several subdisciplines)
that includes machine learning and statistics, certain aspects of computer science
including algorithms, data storage, and web application development. Data science
is also a practical discipline that requires understanding of the domain in which it
is applied in, for example, business or science: its purpose (what "added value"
means), basic assumptions, and constraints. Data science solutions often involve at
least a pinch of AI (but usually not as much as one would expect from the
headlines).

Robotics means building and programming robots so that they can operate in
complex, real-world scenarios. In a way, robotics is the ultimate challenge of AI
since it requires a combination of virtually all areas of AI. For example:

• Computer vision and speech recognition for sensing the environment

• Natural language processing, information retrieval, and reasoning

under uncertainty for processing instructions and predicting
consequences of potential actions

• Cognitive modeling and affective computing (systems that respond to

expressions of human feelings or that mimic feelings) for interacting
and working together with humans

Many of the robotics-related AI problems are best approached by machine

learning, which makes machine learning a central branch of AI for robotics.

Note

What is a robot?
In brief, a robot is a machine comprising sensors (which sense the environment) and
actuators (which act on the environment) that can be programmed to perform
sequences of actions. People used to science-fictional depictions of robots will usually
think of humanoid machines walking with an awkward gait and speaking in a metallic
monotone. Most real-world robots currently in use look very different as they are
designed according to the application. Most applications would not benefit from the
robot having human shape, just like we don't have humanoid robots to do our
dishwashing but machines in which we place the dishes to be washed by jets of water.

It may not be obvious at first sight, but any kind of vehicles that have at least some
level of autonomy and include sensors and actuators are also counted as robotics. On
the other hand, software-based solutions such as a customer service chatbot, even if
they are sometimes called `software robots´, aren´t counted as (real) robotics.

Answered

Exercise 2: Taxonomy of AI

A taxonomy is a scheme for classifying many things that may be special cases of one
another. We have explained the relationships between a number of disciplines or fields
and pointed out, for example, that machine learning is usually considered to be a
subfield of AI.

A convenient way to visualize a taxonomy is an Euler diagram. An Euler diagram

(closely related to the more familiar Venn diagrams) consists of shapes that
corresponds on concepts, which are organized so that overlap between the shapes
corresponds to overlap between the concepts (see for example Wikipedia: Euler
Diagram).
Notice that a taxonomy does not need to be strictly hierarchical. A discipline can be a
subfield of more than one more general topic: for example, machine learning can also
be thought to be a subfield of statistics. In this case, the subfield concept would be
placed in the overlap between the more general topics.

Your task: Construct a taxonomy in the Euler diagram example given below
showing the relationships between the following things: AI, machine learning,
computer science, data science, and deep learning.

Where would you put AI?

Section A Section B Section C Section D Section E

 AI is a part of computer science.

Where would you put machine learning?

Section A Section B Section C Section D Section E

Machine learning is usually considered to be a part of AI.

Where would you put computer science?

Section A Section B Section C Section D Section E

Computer science is a relatively broad field that includes AI but also other subfields such as
distributed computing, human-computer interaction, and software engineering.

Where would you put data science?

Section A Section B Section C Section D Section E

Data science needs computer science and AI. However, it also involves a lot of statistics,
business, law, and other application domains, so it is usually not considered to be a part of
computer science.

Where would you put deep learning?

Section A Section B Section C Section D Section E

 Deep learning is a part of machine learning.

Your score:

5/ 5

Answered

Exercise 3: Examples of tasks

Consider the following example tasks. Try to determine which AI-related fields are
involved in them. Select all that apply. (Hint: machine learning involves almost always
some kind of statistics).

Note: This exercise is meant to inspire you to think about the different aspects of AI
and their role in various applications. As there are no clear-cut answers to many of
these questions, this exercise will not be included in the grading. Nevertheless, we
suggest that you do your best and try to answer as well as you can, but don't worry if
our answers will differ from yours.
Autonomous car

Statistics Robotics Machine learning

Autonomous cars apply a wide range of techniques to function. These include statistics,
robotics, and machine learning.

Steering a rocket into orbit

Statistics Robotics Machine learning

In order to steer a rocket into orbit robotics are needed to fire the engines at the right times
and with the right power.

Online ad optimization

Statistics Robotics Machine learning

In order to optimize ads online, machine learning and statistics are needed to deliver the
correct type of ads to the right audience, and to measure the effectiveness of the
optimization.

Customer service chatbot

Statistics Robotics Machine learning

 A customer service chatbot will need machine learning to process human produced language
in such a way that it can act on it.

Summarizing gallup results

Statistics Robotics Machine learning

Summarizing gallup results is a classical case of using statistics to produce insights.

Your score:

3/ 5

Next section

III. Philosophy of AI →
Course overview

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