In this three-part blog series, we’ll be demystifying the hype around Artificial Intelligence (AI), helping you see the wood for the trees on how it can benefit your business. We’ll guide you through the fundamentals, get you thinking about real-world applications and provide a roadmap for a smart AI strategy.
With Artificial Intelligence technologies advancing at such a rapid rate, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up. AI tools are evolving faster than most of us can keep track of, which means there’s a knowledge gap between the innovations being developed and the real-world understanding of how to use them.
As a result, many businesses aren’t fully tapping into AI’s potential, or are simply confused about how to go about using it to their advantage. To help bridge this gap, let’s go back to the basics and clarify the key differences between traditional AI and its subsets.
There’s a lot more to the AI conversation than ChatGPT
Right now it feels like AI is dominating every conversation, but most business owners haven’t yet had the chance to fully get to grips with what’s available or how it can be used to their advantage.
For example, we’ve noticed that ChatGPT’s rise in popularity has made it almost synonymous with artificial intelligence, with people sometimes conflating the two. But in reality, ChatGPT is just one tool in a rapidly growing AI toolbox.
It helps to think of artificial intelligence as an umbrella term, encompassing a huge spectrum of technologies designed for a range of different tasks.
Let’s unpack the key differences between the tools that are currently available.
Key terms explained
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
AI is the overarching field of computer science that focuses on building systems capable of performing tasks that typically require human intelligence. These tasks include problem-solving, reasoning, perception and language interpretation.
Traditional AI systems are typically rule-based, meaning they follow pre-programmed instructions to make decisions. This means that, while very effective for specific use cases, their ability to adapt and scale is limited.
- Machine Learning (ML)
Machine learning is a subset of AI that enables systems to learn from data rather than relying solely on pre-programmed rules.
Through algorithms, ML systems can identify patterns, make predictions and adapt to new information. For example, streaming platforms like Netflix use ML to recommend content based on user behaviour. Unlike traditional AI, ML systems improve their performance over time as they’re fed more and more data.
- Computer Vision (CV)
Computer vision is another subset of AI, this time focusing on understanding and processing visual data. It’s used to power technologies like facial recognition and object detection.
For example, healthcare apps use CV to analyse medical images, and supermarkets use it for their automated checkout systems.
- Generative AI
Generative AI – or gen AI – is a more recent and specific subset of AI. As the name suggests, it is focused on generating new content, including text, images or music. It uses advanced models like neural networks to generate content that mimics human creativity.
For example, ChatGPT produces human-like text responses, and DALL-E generates images based on text prompts. Gen AI stands apart from traditional AI by its ability to create rather than just analyse or predict.
- Large Language Model (LLM)
LLMs are a type of generative AI, with ChatGPT being an example.
Trained on vast datasets of text to understand and generate human-like language, LLMs excel at understanding context, answering questions and assisting with content creation.
Wondering if AI could be right for your business?
AI isn’t a blanket solution – it’s about finding the right tools that speak to the unique needs of your business and workflow.
In our next blog in this series, we’ll dive into the question of whether AI is right for your business, exploring how different tools can be applied in real life. Stay tuned for the next post to find out how to make smart investments to support your goals.