What is ‘Artificial Intelligence’ or AI?

The developments in information technology and computing power have revolutionised the manner in which we understand and study intelligence. These developments, especially during the 1940s and 50s, encouraged many scientists (for example Marvin Minsky, Dead Edmonds, and Alan Turing) to visualise the concept of intelligent machines, i.e., the machines capable of performing tasks that require human beings. Many such scientists met at the Dartmouth conference in 1956, for what was considered to be a ‘brainstorming session’ about intelligent machines. It was here that the term Artificial Intelligence was finally coined. In simple words, the term Artificial Intelligence is concerned with designing intelligence in man-made devices (which include computers). This understanding of artificial intelligence involves the idea of intelligence and artificial devices (devices that are made by human beings). Before understanding artificial intelligence, we have to understand the nature of intelligence. The everyday tasks in our life can be categorised as regular tasks and special tasks. Regular tasks are common tasks that everyone with common intelligence can perform. Performance of special tasks, on the other hand, requires special intelligence.