What Is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology allows computers and machines

to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving tasks. The ideal
characteristic of artificial intelligence is its ability to rationalize and take action
to achieve a specific goal. AI research began in the 1950s and was used in
the 1960s by the United States Department of Defense when it trained
computers to mimic human reasoning.

A subset of artificial intelligence is machine learning (ML), a concept that

computer programs can automatically learn from and adapt to new data
without human assistance.

How Artificial Intelligence (AI) Works

Artificial intelligence commonly brought to mind the implementation of robots.
As technology evolved, previous benchmarks that define artificial intelligence
became outdated. Technologies that enable Artificial Intelligence include:1

 Computer vision enables computers to identify objects and people in

pictures and photos.
 Natural language processing (NLP) allows computers to understand
human language.
 Graphical processing units are computer chips that help computers
form graphics and images through mathematical calculations.
 The Internet of Things is the network of physical devices, vehicles, and
other objects embedded with sensors, software, and network
connectivity, that collect and share data.
 Application programming allows two or more computer programs or
components to communicate with each other.

Types of Artificial Intelligence

 Narrow AI: Also known as Weak AI, this system is designed to carry
out one particular job. Weak AI systems include video games like
personal assistants like Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri. Users ask the
assistant a question, and it answers it for you.
 General AI: This type includes strong artificial intelligence systems that
carry on the tasks considered to be human-like. They tend to be more
complex and complicated and can be found in applications like self-
driving cars or hospital operating rooms.
 What Is Generative AI?
 Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence that can produce content
such as audio, text, code, video, images, and other data. Whereas
traditional AI algorithms may be used to identify patterns within a
training data set and make predictions, generative AI uses machine
learning algorithms to create outputs based on a training data set.

 Generative AI can produce outputs in the same medium in which it is

prompted (e.g., text-to-text) or in a different medium from the given
prompt (e.g., text-to-image or image-to-video). Popular examples of
generative AI include ChatGPT, Bard, DALL-E, Midjourney, and
DeepMind.

How Does Generative AI Work?

Generative AI is a type of machine learning, which, at its core, works by
training software models to make predictions based on data without the need
for explicit programming.

Specifically, generative AI models are fed vast quantities of existing content

to train the models to produce new content. They learn to identify underlying
patterns in the data set based on a probability distribution and, when given a
prompt, create similar patterns (or outputs based on these patterns).

Part of the umbrella category of machine learning called deep learning,

generative AI uses a neural network that allows it to handle more complex
patterns than traditional machine learning. Inspired by the human brain,
neural networks do not necessarily require human supervision or intervention
to distinguish differences or patterns in the training data.

Generative AI can be run on a variety of models, which use different

mechanisms to train the AI and create outputs. These include generative
adversarial networks (GANs), transformers, and Variational AutoEncoders
(VAEs).

Generative AI Interfaces
Widespread AI applications have already changed the way that users interact
with the world; for example, voice-activated AI now comes pre-installed on
many phones, speakers, and other everyday technology.
Similarly, users can interact with generative AI through different software
interfaces. This has been one of the key innovations in opening up access
and driving usage of generative AI to a wider audience. Whereas early
versions of generative AI required technical or data science knowledge to
interact with the software, AI developers are now designing user experiences
in which prompts can be given and interactions can take place in plain
language.

Generative AI interfaces:

ChatGPT

Created by OpenAI, ChatGPT is an example of text-to-text generative AI:

essentially, an AI-powered chatbot trained to interact with users via natural
language dialogue. Users can ask ChatGPT questions, engage in back-and-
forth conversation, and prompt it to compose text in different styles or genres,
such as poems, essays, stories, or recipes, among others.

Released in November 2022, a free version of ChatGPT is available for use

online. OpenAI also sells the application programming interface (API) for
ChatGPT, among other enterprise subscription and embedding options.56

DALL-E

DALL-E is an example of text-to-image generative AI that was released in

January 2021 by OpenAI. It uses a neural network that was trained on
images with accompanying text descriptions. Users can input descriptive text,
and DALL-E will generate photorealistic imagery based on the prompt. It can
also create variations on the generated image in different styles and from
different perspectives.7

DALL-E can also edit images, whether by making changes within an image
(known in the software as Inpainting) or extending an image beyond its
original proportions or boundaries.

Bard

Bard is a text-to-text generative AI interface based on Google’s large

language model LaMDA (Language Model for Dialogue Applications). Like
ChatGPT, Bard is a chatbot powered by AI technology that can answer
questions or generate text based on user-given prompts. Google bills it as a
“complementary experience to Google Search.”
In March 2023, Bard was released for public use in the United States and the
United Kingdom, with plans to expand to more countries in more languages in
the future.9 It made headlines in February 2023 after it shared incorrect
information in a demo video, causing parent company Alphabet
(GOOG, GOOGL) shares to plummet around 9% in the days following the
announcement.10

The History of Generative AI

Artificial intelligence has a surprisingly long history, with the concept of
thinking machines traceable back to ancient Greece. Modern AI really kicked
off in the 1950s, however, with Alan Turing’s research on machine thinking
and his creation of the eponymous Turing test.

The first neural networks (a key piece of technology underlying generative AI)
that were capable of being trained were invented in 1957 by Frank
Rosenblatt, a psychologist at Cornell University.

Further development of neural networks led to their widespread use in AI

throughout the 1980s and beyond. In 2014, a type of algorithm called a
generative adversarial network (GAN) was created, enabling generative AI
applications like images, video, and audio.

In 2023, the rise of large language models like ChatGPT is indicative of the
explosion in popularity of generative AI as well as its range of applications.

How Is Generative AI Used?

Many generative AI systems are based on foundation models, which have the
ability to perform multiple and open-ended tasks. When it comes to
applications, the possibilities of generative AI are wide-ranging, and arguably,
many have yet to be discovered, let alone implemented.14

The ability for generative AI to work across types of media (text-to-image or

audio-to-text, for example) has opened up many creative and lucrative
possibilities. No doubt as businesses and industries continue to integrate this
technology into their research and workflows, many more use cases will
continue to emerge.
Current Popular Generative AI Applications

Some examples of current use cases for existing generative AI models

include:

Language models:

 Translation
 Creative, academic, and business writing
 Code writing
 Genetic sequencing
 Grammatical correction or analysis

Audio and speech models:

 Composing and songwriting

 Dubbing
 Dictation and transcription
 Speech and voice recognition
 Sound editing

Visual and imagery models:

 Illustration
 Infographics
 3D modeling
 Creative design
 Image editing
 Architectural rendering

Data generating models:

 Creating synthetic data on which to train AI models14

Applications by Industry

Industries are currently using generative AI in a variety of ways that will

continue to expand as the technology and our understanding of it continue to
develop. Examples of current applications across different fields include:

 Automotive industry: Synthetic data produced by AI can run

simulations and train autonomous vehicles.
  Healthcare and scientific research: Scientists can use AI to model
protein sequences, discover new molecules, or suggest new drug
compounds to test, while doctors and practitioners can use AI to
analyze images to aid in diagnoses.

 Media and entertainment: AI can be used to quickly, easily, and more

cheaply generate content, or (as a tool) to enhance the work of
creatives like writers and designers.
 Climate science and meteorology: AI can simulate natural disasters,
forecast the weather, and model different climate scenarios.14
 Education: AI can be used to supplement classroom learning with one-
to-one tutoring via a chatbot, or to create course materials, lesson
plans, or online learning platforms.15
 Government: The use of AI by the federal government varies by
department. It has publicly released information regarding its use cases
since 2022.16

Of course, AI can be used in any industry to automate routine tasks such as

minute taking, documentation, coding, or editing, or to improve existing
workflows alongside or within preexisting software.

As generative AI models are also being packaged for custom business

solutions, or developed in an open-source fashion, industries will continue to
innovate and discover ways to take advantage of their possibilities.

The Pros and Cons of Generative AI

Like any major technological development, generative AI opens up a world of
potential, which has already been discussed above in detail, but there are
also drawbacks to consider.

Overall advantages of generative AI include:

 Increasing productivity by automating or speeding up tasks

 Removing or lowering skill or time barriers for content generation and
creative applications
 Enabling analysis or exploration of complex data
 Using it to create synthetic data on which to train and improve other AI
systems14
Disadvantages of generative AI include:

 Hallucination: This technical term refers to the tendency for certain AI

models to generate nonsense or errors that do not correspond to fact or
real-world or common-sense logic.185
 Reliance on data labeling: Although many generative AI models can
be trained in an unsupervised manner using unlabeled data, data
quality and veracity remains an issue. Many tech companies, including
OpenAI, Facebook, and TikTok, rely on low-paid contract workers who
perform data enrichment work such as labeling or generating training
data.1920
 Difficulty with content moderation: Another concern is the ability for
AI models to recognize and filter out inappropriate content. As is the
case with data labeling, much of this work still relies on human
contractors to tag and filter through large amounts of offensive and
potentially traumatizing content.20
 Ethical issues: In addition to labor concerns like the examples above,
algorithms have been demonstrated to amplify or replicate existing
discrimination and biases inherent in the training data. This can have
resoundingly negative impacts. For example, Amazon created (and
then abandoned) an AI-powered recruiting tool that was biased against
women.21
 Legal and regulatory issues: The legal system does not currently
have a sufficient framework to address many of the implications of
emerging AI technology. Some examples include:

 Copyright issues: Since generative AI models are trained on a vast

quantity of data, it can be difficult to verify whether the materials included in
the data or the resultant works generated are in violation of copyright laws.22

 Privacy issues: Generative AI raises concerns around the collection,

storage, use, and security of data, both personal and business-related.

 Autonomy and responsibility: AI technology raises concerns around

liability. For example, when it comes to autonomous systems like self-driving
cars, it is unclear how to determine liability in the case of accidents.21

 Political implications: Generative AI raises issues around false or

misleading information and the veracity of media such as photorealistic
imagery or voice recordings. It can also interfere with processes that
 invite democratic engagement by falsifying a high volume of comments,
submissions, or messages.23
 Energy consumption: AI models have a large ecological impact, as
they require a huge quantity of electricity to run. As the use of these
technologies grows, so will the demand on the environment.2425

Which Industries Can Benefit from Generative AI?

Generative AI can benefit just about any type of field or business, by
increasing productivity, automating tasks, enabling new forms of creation,
facilitating deep analysis of complex data sets, or even creating synthetic
data on which future AI models can train.

Generative AI is also widely used in many different government applications.

What Is the Concern Surrounding Generative AI?

As a new technology that is constantly changing, many existing regulatory
and protective frameworks have not yet caught up to generative AI and its
applications. A major concern is the ability to recognize or verify content that
has been generated by AI rather than by a human being. Another concern,
referred to as “technological singularity,” is that AI will become sentient and
surpass the intelligence of humans.21

What Are Some Popular Examples of Generative AI?

Popular generative AI interfaces include ChatGPT, Bard, DALL-E,
Midjourney, and DeepMind.

What Is Machine Learning?

Machine learning is the ability to train computer software to make predictions
based on data. Generative AI uses machine learning algorithms.

What Is a Neural Network?

A neural network is a type of model, based on the human brain, that
processes complex information and makes predictions. This technology
allows generative AI to identify patterns in the training data and create new
content.
Generative AI is an exciting new technology with potentially endless
possibilities that will transform the way we live and work. Traditionally, AI has
been the realm of data scientists, engineers, and experts, but now, the ability
to prompt software in plain language and generate new content in a matter of
seconds has opened up AI to a much broader user base.

As with any technology, however, there are wide-ranging concerns and

issues to be cautious of when it comes to its applications. Many implications,
ranging from legal, ethical, and political to ecological, social, and economic,
have been and will continue to be raised as generative AI continues to be
adopted and developed.