Artificial intelligence and machine learning?
Q With all the recent hoo-hah about Microsoft and Bing acquiring CHATGPT, I wonder if you can help this older reader grasp what it all means?
I understand that artificial intelligence (AI) means attempting to replicate real intelligence. But how does a computer do that? Where does machine learning fit in, which is another buzzword I’ve read? I, for one, am ready to welcome our robot overlords! Tom Hyde
A Just for the record, Microsoft has not fully acquired CHATGPT. Rather, while the terms of the deal are delightfully complex, the company purchased a massive stake in Openai – the outfit behind CHATGPT. Regardless, Microsoft has certainly garnered lots of publicity recently. And, yes, it has already integrated some of the technology behind CHATGPT into its Bing search engine. While it’ll eventually be rolled out to everyone, for now it’s by invite only. You can join the ‘waitlist’ at www.snipca.com/45221 (pictured). As for your question, a simplified answer is that machine learning powers AI. By that, we mean AI is the end result: something that appears to exhibit what we humans might recognise as intelligence. However, AI doesn’t just come into being fully formed. Delivering any form of AI, as CHATGPT does, requires machine learning. This is the term that’s used to describe how computers go about developing AI.
Just as humans build understanding of the world through constant observation, interactions and reading, so too are machines able to ‘learn’ through similar processes. A service like CHATGPT is loaded with algorithms, or computer code, that instruct it to ‘read’ and analyse untold billions of websites and images. This is the machine-learning element. But when you ask CHATGPT a question, or give it a task, the response is the AI part.
Of course, whether any reply seems particularly intelligent, artificial or otherwise, is likely to be highly debatable.
Want to know the difference between technical terms? Email noproblem@ computeractive.co.uk