What is AI, really?

Before we dive in, let’s outline some definitions and distinctions regarding the field of AI. AI breaks down into two main categories: General AI and Narrow AI. General AI, in theory, is meant to replicate human consciousness and resemble a sentient being – think I, Robot or Terminator – while Narrow AI is used to achieve a specific task or reasoning skill. General AI is still some time off from realization, so Narrow AI will be the focus here. The graphic below illustrates the evolution and tiers within.

Image Credit: Nvidia Blogs