Enter a keyword...
 
...or choose a category.            
   


  Home
  New Terms
  New Links
 More Resources
  Classifieds
  DownloadLite
  Wordlink
 Talk to Us
  Submit a URL
  Request a Term
  Report an Error
 About
  Partners
  Advertising
  Products
Shopping Agent
1. Select Category
Hardware
Software
2. Enter Keyword

3.

Powered by
Bottom Dollar
artificial intelligence
Last modified: September 1, 1997

  Related Categories
   Artificial Intelligence
 
 
  Related Terms
   computer science
 cybernetics
 expert system
 fuzzy logic
 genetic programming
 heuristic programming
 LISP
 natural language
 neural network
 Prolog
 robotics
 voice recognition
 
The branch of
computer science concerned with making computers behave like humans. The term was coined in 1956 by John McCarthy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Artificial intelligence includes

  • games playing: programming computers to play games such as chess and checkers
  • expert systems : programming computers to make decisions in real-life situations (for example, some expert systems help doctors diagnose diseases based on symptoms)
  • natural language : programming computers to understand natural human languages
  • neural networks : Systems that simulate intelligence by attempting to reproduce the types of physical connections that occur in animal brains
  • robotics : programming computers to see and hear and react to other sensory stimuli
  • Currently, no computers exhibit full artificial intelligence (that is, are able to simulate human behavior). The greatest advances have occurred in the field of games playing. The best computer chess programs are now capable of beating humans. In May, 1997, an IBM super-computer called Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Gary Kasparov in a chess match.

    In the area of robotics, computers are now widely used in assembly plants, but they are capable only of very limited tasks. Robots have great difficulty identifying objects based on appearance or feel, and they still move and handle objects clumsily.

    Natural-language processing offers the greatest potential rewards because it would allow people to interact with computers without needing any specialized knowledge. You could simply walk up to a computer and talk to it. Unfortunately, programming computers to understand natural languages has proved to be more difficult than originally thought. Some rudimentary translation systems that translate from one human language to another are in existence, but they are not nearly as good as human translators. There are also voice recognition systems that can convert spoken sounds into written words, but they do not understand what they are writing; they simply take dictation. Even these systems are quite limited -- you must speak slowly and distinctly.

    In the early 1980s, expert systems were believed to represent the future of artificial intelligence and of computers in general. To date, however, they have not lived up to expectations. Many expert systems help human experts in such fields as medicine and engineering, but they are very expensive to produce and are helpful only in special situations.

    Today, the hottest area of artificial intelligence is neural networks, which are proving successful in a number of disciplines such as voice recognition and natural-language processing.

    There are several programming languages that are known as AI languages because they are used almost exclusively for AI applications. The two most common are LISP and Prolog.

    Related Links

    Intelligent applications resources Award Winning Page
    This page, from Knowledge Technology, provides numerous links to information relating to artificial intelligence applications. Choose from links to intelligent applications, vendors, book and article references, as well as a glossary. Updated on Jan 6, 1998

    Intelligent software products and suppliers Award Winning Page
    Searchable directory of over 700 product abstracts for AI and intelligent software products. Updated on Mar 5, 1998

    PC AI - Expert systems resources Award Winning Page
    This site host a brief introduction to expert systems and an extensive collection of links to expert system Web sites, vendors, articles, and references. Updated on Jan 6, 1998

    AI applications in medicine
    Contains a continually growing list of sources for information on AI applications in medicine, including extensive FAQ's as well as links to journals of interest and university research groups. Updated on Apr 8, 1998

    AI FAQs
    Collection of FAQs on the subject of artificial intelligence. Updated on Oct 4, 1996

    AI research groups and resources
    A collection of artificial intelligence research groups and resources from the University College in London. Updated on Mar 22, 1998

    AI resources and organizations
    This is collection of AI resources and organizations from Microsoft's Library page. Updated on May 10, 1997

    American Association for Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
    Provides links to AAAI conferences, symposia, publications, workshops, resources, and organization information. Updated on Feb 6, 1998

    Artificial Intelligence programming languages
    This page is a resource for artificial intelligence programming languages. Each language is listed, along with a brief overview, and a link to additional information on that language. Updated on Aug 15, 1997

    Artificial intelligence repository
    This is Carnegie Mellon University's artificial intelligence repository. It hosts FAQs, a news archive, software packages, and a what's new section. In addition, there is a search feature that allows you to locate related information. Updated on Oct 4, 1996

    Institute for Information Technology's AI Resources
    The Institute for Information Technology maintains a continually growing list of AI resources. Updated on Oct 22, 1997

    SRI International Artificial Intelligence Center (AIC) page
    Home page for SRI's International's Artificial Intelligence Center (AIC) , one of the world's major centers of research in artificial intelligence. Here you can find information on their research programs, staff, and publications. Updated on Nov 20, 1996

    The Centre for Neural Computing Applications (CNCA)
    The CNCA is a University research group dedicated to developing neural computing and SMART software solutions to real world problems. The site provides project details, papers, extensive related links pages, and up-to-date information in the AI/neural computing world. Updated on Dec 5, 1997

    The Outsider's Guide to AI
    Contains AI history, information on the LISP language, natual language processing, hardware, expert systems, human behavior, message filtering, robotics, and an AI timeline.

    Yahoo!'s AI Intelligent Software Agents page
    Yahoo!'s directory of AI Intelligent Software Agents. Updated on Jul 19, 1998

    Yahoo!'s artificial intelligence page
    Yahoo!'s directory of artificial intelligence. Updated on Jul 16, 1998

    Yahoo!'s expert systems page
    Yahoo!'s directory of expert systems. Updated on Jul 19, 1998

    MIT's AI Lab home page
    This site features a number of artificial intelligence resources, including several online publications. Updated on Jun 27, 1998

    Feedback

    Copyright 1998 Mecklermedia Corporation.
    All Rights Reserved. Legal Notices.