What Exactly Is Artificial Intelligence? Now You Understand

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1. What is artificial intelligence?

Artificial intelligence is a technology that simulates human thinking, encompassing various technical approaches such as machine learning, natural language processing, and expert systems. Through these methods, it mimics human cognition, learning, and reasoning abilities. In simple terms, AI is a technological means of imitating human capabilities, such as the voice recognition technology in smart speakers that allows them to respond to spoken commands. AI can achieve autonomous decision-making, learning, optimization, and innovation, helping humans solve numerous practical problems like image recognition, speech recognition, autonomous driving, and machine translation—functions widely used in daily life yet often overlooked by many.

2. Milestones in the Development of Artificial Intelligence:

1956: The Dartmouth Conference marked the formal establishment of AI as a scientific discipline.
1997: IBM's Deep Blue supercomputer defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov, demonstrating computers' ability to surpass humans in certain intellectual domains.
2016: Google's AlphaGo defeated South Korean Go player Lee Sedol, signifying a breakthrough in AI's ability to handle "imperfect information" games.
2018: The release of ChatGPT-1 and its 3.0 version in June 2020 marked the maturity of natural language processing technology, prompting major companies worldwide to announce their own large language models.

3. What Are the Core Technologies of AI?

The three core technologies of AI are: data, algorithms, and computing power.

Data: Data serves as the foundation of AI, referring to digital information used to train and test algorithms. In AI applications, data plays a crucial role in carrying, driving, and refining algorithms, determining the system's predictive accuracy and stability. Humans generate vast amounts of data daily, and making this data recognizable to computers is a critical challenge. Data annotation, performed by AI trainers, is an indispensable step in labeling massive datasets for machine comprehension. Although this process requires significant human effort, it remains the most mainstream and effective method for data learning and is irreplaceable.
Algorithms: Algorithms are the core of AI, referring to methods and rules for processing, computing, and learning from large datasets. In 2016, Google's AlphaGo defeated top Go player Lee Sedol with a score of 4:1. Many Go masters believed the game required uniquely human artistry and skill, but AlphaGo challenged this notion. During training, AlphaGo used extensive historical Go data and self-play modes to continuously improve its gameplay. By combining deep neural networks with Monte Carlo tree search, AlphaGo could think like a human player while surpassing humans in computational speed and precision. Its victory demonstrated how algorithms and data can solve problems beyond human capability, highlighting AI's potential and advantages.
Computing Power: Computing power refers to the computational resources supporting algorithms. Advances in hardware, particularly GPU technology, have dramatically increased computational capabilities, reducing processing times and enabling the handling of larger datasets. High-performance computing devices significantly enhance the efficiency and accuracy of machine learning and deep learning algorithms, driving the development and application of AI. Think of computing power like mining—the higher the power, the faster the mining. Training models like ChatGPT requires high-performance computing devices, including GPUs and TPUs. For instance, over 50,000 TPU chips were used, taking several days to complete a single training session. These setups demand specialized hardware, software, networking, and substantial human and financial investment.

4. What Can AI Do?

AI gained widespread recognition largely due to the popularity of ChatGPT, which amazed many with its capabilities—writing essays, answering questions like a professor, and even coding. However, ChatGPT is just one star product of AI and does not represent all AI technologies. It relies on natural language processing (NLP), which enables computers to understand, parse, generate, and manipulate human language.

AI applications span numerous industries, including but not limited to:

Transportation: Identifying traffic violations via surveillance.
Internet: Voice recognition, image recognition.
Healthcare: CT scans.
Manufacturing: Automation.
Logistics: Autonomous delivery.
Agriculture: Automated harvesting.
Automotive: Self-driving cars.

AI's capabilities continue to expand. Following ChatGPT's rise, embodied AI—humanoid robots—has emerged, making the prospect of AI surpassing or replacing humans seem increasingly plausible. Some argue that AI will replace many jobs, a claim that is not unfounded.

5. Why is Artificial Intelligence Strategically Positioned for National Development?

From the perspective of the algorithms, computing power, and data required for artificial intelligence, the entire process demands substantial funding, manpower, and highly educated individuals. The complexity is comparable to that of developing atomic bombs. In recent years, industrial upgrades and the phasing out of outdated capacities have left many highly skilled individuals without suitable employment. AI, however, requires a vast workforce across all levels, integrating diverse talents into its ecosystem. Take data annotation, the lowest barrier in the process, as an example: developing autonomous driving alone requires tens of thousands of AI trainers, significantly boosting local employment rates. Here are five key reasons for prioritizing AI development:

Economic Growth: AI enhances the quality and efficiency of economic growth by improving productivity, reducing costs, and fostering the rise of emerging industries and the digital economy.
National Security: AI plays an increasingly critical role in defense, military, and intelligence, elevating decision-making capabilities and strengthening national security. For instance, the U.S. already employs AI-powered drones, and reports suggest China's sixth-generation fighter jets may utilize AI technology.
Smart Cities: AI enables urban intelligence, informatization, and digitization, playing a pivotal role in governance, public services, environmental protection, and traffic management.
Scientific Research: AI helps scientists process large-scale data and complex problems more efficiently and accurately, accelerating research progress and providing a broader platform for innovation.
Quality of Life: AI applications in education, healthcare, and environmental protection improve living standards and social welfare.

6. How Can Ordinary People Seize Opportunities in the AI Era?

Students: Programming is foundational for AI. Learn languages like Python, Java, or C++, and master development tools and libraries. Study machine learning and deep learning basics, such as neural networks, support vector machines, and random forests. Participate in courses or training programs. Familiarize yourself with industry contexts like finance, healthcare, or education.
Professionals: With digitalization, mastering tools like office software and enterprise management systems is essential. Data drives business decisions, so learn data acquisition, cleaning, and analysis. Explore data visualization tools and apply these skills at work. Modern professionals should also leverage AI tools to double productivity.
Entrepreneurs: Entrepreneurship in AI falls into two categories: technical (algorithm, computing power) and resource-based (data). China's vast data resources offer abundant opportunities. Data annotation, combining both technical and resource elements, attracts many new entrepreneurs.
Companies: Enhance operational efficiency, innovation, and customer service by leveraging AI for data analysis and decision-making. Implement AI-driven solutions like smart customer service (24/7 support via NLP) and personalized recommendations. Optimize production with machine learning to reduce waste and costs. Use big data and AI to analyze market trends and user needs for strategic planning.

Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly the main theme of development today and for decades to come. Whether at the national level or in terms of capital, actions are being taken to signal the arrival of this new era. Ensuring one's competitiveness in the age of AI is a critical issue that warrants deep reflection from everyone. If today's society is already marked by intense competition—both visible and invisible—among individuals, the competition of the future will not be limited to human-to-human interactions. Artificial intelligence will reshape social structures, bringing immeasurable impacts to the economy, society, education, employment, and more.