Artificial Intelligence (AI) fascinates, challenges and disturbs us. There are many voices in society that predict drastic changes that may come as a consequence of AI – a possible apocalypse or Eden on earth. However, only a few people truly understand what AI is, what it can do and what its limitations are.
Understanding Artificial Intelligence explains, through a straightforward narrative and amusing illustrations, how AI works. It is written for a non-specialist reader, adult or adolescent, who is interested in AI but is missing the key to understanding how it works. The author demystifies the creation of the so-called "intelligent" machine and explains the different methods that are used in AI. It presents new possibilities offered by algorithms and the difficulties that researchers, engineers and users face when building and using such algorithms. Each chapter allows the reader to discover a new aspect of AI and to become fully aware of the possibilities offered by this rich field.
Introduction. 1 What is Artificial Intelligence? 2 The Turing Test. 3 Why Is It So Difficult? 4 Lost in the Woods. 5 Winning at Chess. 6 The Journey Continues. 7 Darwin 2.0. 8 Small but Strong. 9 A Bit of Tidying Up. 10 Taking an AI by the Hand. 11 Learning to Count. 12 Learning to Read. 13 Learning as You Draw. 14 Winning at Go. 15 Strong AI. 16 Is There Cause for Concern? 17 To Infinity and Beyond! Even More AI! Acknowledgments. They Made AI.
Biography
Nicolas Sabouret is a Doctor in Artificial Intelligence and full Professor of Computer Science at Université Paris-Saclay, one of the highest ranked research universities in France. He has been teaching Artificial Intelligence for twenty years to undergraduate students, graduate students, engineers and PhD students. Nicolas has supervised many research projects in this domain. His goal is to help give people the keys to an informed thought on Artificial Intelligence.
Lizete de Assis is a computer scientist and artist. She obtained a Master in Artificial Intelligence. Her knowledge of the field and her stroke allow Lizete to illustrate even the most difficult notions in a simple and diverting manner.
