Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that seeks to create machines that can think and act like humans. AI has made great strides in recent years, and AI-powered systems are now used in a wide variety of applications, from self-driving cars to medical diagnosis. However, AI is still far from perfect, and there are a number of ways in which computers can misunderstand the world.

1. Computers lack common sense.

One of the biggest challenges for AI is that computers lack common sense. This means that they can't make inferences or draw s based on their knowledge of the world. For example, a computer might know that a cat is an animal and that animals need food. However, it might not be able to infer that a cat needs to eat food in order to survive. This lack of common sense can lead to AI systems making mistakes that humans would never make.

Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World

by Meredith Broussard

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1913 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	340 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Paperback	:	144 pages
Item Weight	:	6.3 ounces
Dimensions	:	5.51 x 0.51 x 8.27 inches

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2. Computers are biased.

Another challenge for AI is that computers are biased. This bias can come from a variety of sources, including the data that the AI system is trained on, the algorithms that are used to train the system, and the people who design and build the system. Bias can lead to AI systems making unfair or inaccurate decisions. For example, an AI system that is trained on data that is biased against a particular group of people might make decisions that discriminate against that group.

3. Computers can't understand context.

Computers also have difficulty understanding context. This means that they can't take into account the surrounding environment or situation when making decisions. For example, an AI system might know that it's dangerous to cross the street without looking both ways. However, it might not be able to infer that it's especially dangerous to cross the street without looking both ways when there is a lot of traffic. This lack of understanding of context can lead to AI systems making mistakes that humans would never make.

4. Computers can't handle uncertainty.

Another challenge for AI is that computers can't handle uncertainty. This means that they can't make decisions when there is not enough information available. For example, an AI system might know that it's dangerous to drive in the rain. However, it might not be able to infer that it's especially dangerous to drive in the rain when the roads are wet and slippery. This lack of ability to handle uncertainty can lead to AI systems making mistakes that humans would never make.

5. Computers are too literal.

Finally, computers are too literal. This means that they can't understand sarcasm, irony, or other forms of figurative language. For example, an AI system might know that the statement "It's raining cats and dogs" is a figure of speech. However, it might not be able to infer that the statement means that it's raining very heavily. This lack of ability to understand figurative language can lead to AI systems making mistakes that humans would never make.

These are just a few of the ways in which computers can misunderstand the world. AI is still a young field, and there is a lot of work to be done before AI systems can truly understand the world like humans do. However, the progress that has been made in recent years is encouraging, and there is reason to believe that AI will eventually be able to overcome these challenges and become a powerful tool for good.

Additional Resources

* [Artificial Intelligence: A Modern Approach](https://aima.cs.berkeley.edu/) * [Machine Learning](https://www.coursera.org/specializations/machine-learning) * [Deep Learning](https://www.deeplearning.ai/)

Artificial Unintelligence: How Computers Misunderstand the World

by Meredith Broussard

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1913 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	340 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Paperback	:	144 pages
Item Weight	:	6.3 ounces
Dimensions	:	5.51 x 0.51 x 8.27 inches

FREE