Artificial Intelligence

Excerpt from Wikipedia:

"Artificial Intelligence is the use of machines and the branch of computer science which aims to create artificial intelligence."

While 40 years ago artificial intelligence was considered an irrelevant form of computer science, it is now being used today for a huge variety of processes. Artificial Intelligence has now become an essential part of technology. For example, search engines on the internet use AI.

History of AI
AI started in the middle of the 20th century when a group of scientists embarked on a journey to find a new approach to build intelligent machines based on the recent discoveries in neurology, a new mathematical theory of information. By the 60's their research was heavily funded by the U.S Department of Defense.

• 1965, H. A. Simon: "Machines will be capable, within twenty years, of doing any work a man can do"^[34]
• 1967, Marvin Minsky: "Within a generation ... the problem of creating 'artificial intelligence' will substantially be solved.

Current Example of AI (taken from the Stanford website: http://stair.stanford.edu/)

Since its birth in 1956, the AI dream has been to build systems that exhibit broad-spectrum competence and intelligence. In the STAIR (STanford AI Robot) project, we are building a robot that can navigate home and office environments, pick up and interact with objects and tools, and intelligently converse with and help people in these environments.

Our single robot platform will integrate methods drawn from all areas of AI, including machine learning, vision, navigation, manipulation, planning, reasoning, and speech/natural language processing. This is in distinct contrast to the 30-year trend of working on fragmented AI sub-fields, and will be a vehicle for driving research towards true integrated AI.

Over the long term, we envision a single robot that can perform tasks such as:

• Fetch or deliver items around the home or office.
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• Tidy up a room, including picking up and throwing away trash, and using the dishwasher.
• Prepare meals using a normal kitchen.
• Use tools to assemble a bookshelf.

A robot capable of these tasks will revolutionize home and office automation, and have important applications ranging from home assistants to elderly care. However, carrying out such tasks will require significant advances in integrating learning, manipulation, perception, spoken dialog, and reasoning.

Video of STAIR unloading dishes from the dishwasher