Definition and importance of AI

Definition of AI

AI is a broad discipline that promises to simulate numerous innate human skills such as automatic programming, case-based reasoning, neural networks, decision-making, expert systems, natural language processing, pattern recognition and speech recognition etc. AI technologies bring more complex data-analysis features to existing applications.

There are many definitions that attempt to explain what Artificial Intelligence (AI) is. I like to think of AI as a science that investigates knowledge and intelligence, possibly the intelligent application of knowledge. Knowledge and Intelligence are as fundamental as the universe within which they exist, it may turn out that they are more fundamental.
One of the aims of AI is said to be the investigation of human cognition and AI is part of Cognitive Science. AI is really an investigation into the creation of intelligence and that there is no reason for the intelligence that is created to be exactly the same as human intelligence.

Importance of AI

Enterprises that utilize AI-enhanced applications are expected to become more diverse, as the needs for the ability to analyze data across multiple variables, fraud detection and customer relationship management emerge as key business drivers to gain competitive advantage.
Artificial Intelligence is a branch of Science which deals with helping machines, finds solutions to complex problems in a more human-like fashion. This generally involves borrowing characteristics from human intelligence, and applying them as algorithms in a computer friendly way. A more or less flexible or efficient approach can be taken depending on the requirements established, which influences how artificial the intelligent behavior appears.
AI is generally associated with Computer Science, but it has many important links with other fields such as Maths, Psychology, Cognition, Biology and Philosophy, among many others. Our ability to combine knowledge from all these fields will ultimately benefit our progress in the quest of creating an intelligent artificial being.