AUK Library (2024). Banner image for an online artificial intelligence guide [Poster created using DALL·E]. OpenAI. https://www.openai.com/dall-e
Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI is a branch of computer science. AI systems use hardware, algorithms, and data to create “intelligence” to do things like make decisions, discover patterns, and perform some sort of action. AI is a general term and there are more specific terms used in the field of AI. AI systems can be built in different ways, two of the primary ways are: (1) through the use of rules provided by a human (rule-based systems); or (2) with machine learning algorithms. Many newer AI systems use machine learning
Machine Learning (ML): Machine learning is a field of study with a range of approaches to developing algorithms that can be used in AI systems. AI is a more general term. In ML, an algorithm will identify rules and patterns in the data without a human specifying those rules and patterns. These algorithms build a model for decision making as they go through data. (You will sometimes hear the term machine learning model.) Because they discover their own rules in the data they are given, ML systems can perpetuate biases. Algorithms used in machine learning require massive amounts of data to be trained to make decisions.
Generative AI: A type of machine learning that generates content, currently such as text, images, music, videos, and can create 3D models from 2D input. See ChatGPT definition, ChatGPT is a specific example of GenAI.
Pati Ruiz and Judi Fusco, “Glossary of Artificial Intelligence Terms for Educators,” from the Center for Integrative Research in Computing and Learning Sciences, 2023.