Department of Computer Sciences
College of Computers & Information Technology
501481-3 Winter 2022
Artificial Intelligence
Chapter 1: Introduction
1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial intelligence is the study of programmed
systems that can simulate, to some extent,
human activities such as perceiving, thinking,
learning and acting.
Areas of AI: an example
Scope of the Field
Intersection with other fields
What do we do with AI?
• In general:
– Make computers think like human.
– Make computers act like human.
– Make computers think rational.
– Make computers act rational.
By Rational, we mean: do the right things.
7
Intelligent Agent
Software agents
A software agent is a set of programs that are designed
to do particular tasks. For example, a software agent
can check the contents of received e-mails and classify
them into different categories (junk, less important,
important, very important and so on).
Another example of a software agent is a search engine
used to search the World Wide Web and find sites that
can provide information about a requested subject.
Intelligent Agent
Physical agents
A physical agent (robot) is a programmable system that
can be used to perform a variety of tasks. Simple robots
can be used in manufacturing to do routine jobs such as
assembling, welding, or painting. Some organizations
use mobile robots that do routine delivery jobs such as
distributing mail or correspondence to different rooms.
Mobile robots are used underwater to prospect for oil.
A humanoid robot is an autonomous mobile robot that
is supposed to behave like a human.
Agent faculties
The main fundamental faculties of
intelligence are :
• Acting
• Sensing
• Reasoning (understanding),
• Learning
An Intelligent Agent must sense, must act, must be
autonomous (to some extent). It also must be rational.
AI is about building rational agents.
10
AI Applications
• AI has successfully used in:
• Finance
• Robotics
• Games
• Medicine
• The web
11
AI in Robotics
• The agent is called a robot agent.
• The environment is the surroundings.
Camera
Sensor
Environment
Motors
Voice
12
AI in Medicine
• The agent is called diagnostic agent.
s Patient
Symptom
Diagnostic
Agent
Diag
no sis
Doctor
13
AI Tools
Programming languages
Although some all-purpose languages such
as C++, Java, and Python are used to create
intelligent software, two languages are
specifically designed for AI:
LISP and PROLOG.
