What is AI?
The term ‘AI’ is short for ‘artificial intelligence’. AI technologies include chatbots, age-verification technologies, online targeted advertisement, medical diagnostic tools – and many more.
The UK Data Ethics Framework uses the following definition:
‘AI technologies carry out tasks that are commonly thought to require intelligence. They deploy digital tools to find repetitive patterns in very large amounts of data and use them, in various ways, to perform tasks without the need for constant human supervision.’
As we use AI technologies more in our day-to-day lives it is important to be able to identify and define them.
Having an agreed definition helps people to identify when AI is likely to be helpful and when it has the potential to be harmful. It also helps governments and policymakers to create guidance and laws about AI.