Artificial Intelligence has been in development since the 1950s, believe it or not. The goals have been simple: make intelligent systems that mimic human cognitive abilities. This includes the ability to not only perceive, but understand its surroundings. It includes learning from both training as well as own experiences and making decisions based on reasoning.
On the flip side, there is machine learning. This is a newly implemented method of using robots and computers in an effort to assist in the educational process. There are a handful of schools that have already experimented with machine learning, testing to see how children react to them as teaching aids.
How Does Machine Learning Relate to AI?
It is generally accepted that successfully understanding human speech, being able to compete at the highest level when it comes to strategic game systems, and intelligent routing in content delivery, as well as military situations, can be technically classified as AI systems.
It is also generally accepted that the narrower the machine learning task, the less like artificial intelligence it is. It is difficult to know at what point a machine learning project is an artificial intelligence effort.
Is Machine Learning AI?
Technically speaking, the answer is yes. Machine learning, which has a subset known as deep learning, is technically a subset of artificial intelligence. The latter is a general umbrella term for any computer program that does something “smart.”
To expound upon this a bit further, all machine learning is technically artificial intelligence, but not all artificial intelligence is machine learning. An example of this is that symbolic logic – which are rule engines, knowledge graphs, and expert systems – can be classified as artificial intelligence, yet none of them are technically machine learning.
There is still much to know and learn about artificial intelligence and machine learning and how the two truly relate to one another. Until then, we will continue to classify the two as being under the same umbrella, yet completely different.