AI, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Generative AI 

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A Basic Explanation 

It’s incredible how AI development has become part of our daily lives without us fully understanding how it works, its potential upsides, and possible pitfalls. I was surprised to learn that AI development has occurred since the 1950s.

The video I included was an eye-opener; it helped me gain some insight into what has been happening and how the evolution of AI has progressed, particularly with a noticeable uptick in 2010.

✅ Artificial Intelligence seeks to emulate or surpass human intelligence through computers. Early uses include expert systems from the 1980s and 1990s.

✅ Machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence that gained popularity in the 2010s, allows computers to learn from data patterns instead of relying on explicit programming. This makes it helpful in identifying anomalies in fields such as cybersecurity.

✅ Deep learning employs neural networks with multiple layers to imitate human brain functionality. Its complex nature can yield powerful but occasionally unpredictable results.

✅ Generative AI represents a significant recent development. It utilises foundation models, such as large language models, to create new content by predicting entire passages, not just individual words.

While generative AI may seem to rearrange existing information, the presenter in the video below argues that it is comparable to music composition – creating original work from established elements.

✅ AI applications span text, audio, and video domains, including technologies like deepfakes, which have beneficial and harmful potential uses.

✅ AI adoption has increased dramatically in recent years, primarily driven by advancements in generative AI and foundation models.

The IBM Technology video clarifies the hierarchical relationship between AI, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Generative AI, tracing their evolution and explaining how each subset builds upon previous technologies to create increasingly sophisticated systems capable of simulating and potentially exceeding human intelligence.

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