Artificial Intelligence, also known as AI, is human-like intelligence in a machine that is programmed and created to mimic human thinking and actions. It has advanced over the years and has become better as people are learning more about it and improving on it.

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Artificial intelligence dates back to 1955 when Newell and Simon designed the Logic Theorist, which was a program that was written to perform automated reasoning. The person who coined the term ‘artificial intelligence’, referred to as the father of AI, is John McCarthy.

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AI is slowly but steadily becoming a huge part of our everyday lives. It has helped advance medicine, security, transportation, construction, and so much more. Some forms of artificial intelligence you might be familiar with are Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri. Here is a list of companies and what they use artificial intelligence for:

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1. Amazon: Amazon uses an algorithm to recommend things that you might want to buy based on your buying or shopping history. In their Amazon Go stores, there are no checkout counters. The stores use artificial intelligence to track what you put in your basket and charge you off the Amazon Go app on your phone. But a disadvantage is that sometimes the facial recognition might be defective.

2. Apple: Apple uses artificial intelligence in its products like Siri and FaceID features. Siri is a Voice assistant that can answer your questions and is extremely interactive. But the downside is that sometimes, the software can be prone to bugs and sometimes it does not work, but they are continually developing and making changes to their software.

3. Microsoft: Just like Apple, Microsoft has its virtual assistant called Cortana. Introduced in the Windows 10 operating system in 2015, it is very functional and user-friendly. Cortana’s unique feature is that it can open, move and duplicate files just by using voice commands.But the disadvantage is that sometimes it can misinterpret commands and carry out unintended functions.

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Artificial intelligence can also be harmful to society. For example, it is already replacing jobs that people would typically carry out themselves. Furthermore, AI is already being used to foster terrorism, as well as aid hacking and cybercrime. Nevertheless, I think artificial intelligence is incredible, and it can revolutionize the way we live, learn and work. Specifically, it can also help advance development and economic growth in Africa.

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Arinze Okigbo is a 15-year-old tech-enthusiast. He writes about tech and how it can help Africa.

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Note: This article has been published in the Global Sentinel newspaper. To read it go to https://globalsentinelng.com/2020/09/27/artificial-intelligence-what-you-need-to-know/