According to the RAE, artificial intelligence (AI) is the scientific discipline of creating computer programs that perform operations comparable to those of the human mind, such as learning or logical reasoning. Artificial intelligence is present in countless places in our daily lives … Have you ever thought about how customer service chatbots work in many companies? And the biometric recognition of our smartphones? What about applications for specific processes like examining legal documents or approving bank transactions? For all these questions, artificial intelligence is the answer.

How does artificial intelligence work?

In general, by learning behaviors , and from there, predicting and solving future problems. There are many divisions of the types of artificial intelligence. We focus on 2:

  • Simple (or weak) AI: designed to respond to predefined and specific tasks. For example: virtual assistants by voice from our smartphones.
  • AI complex (or strong): imitates human cognitive capacities. This type of AI, more advanced, involves the search for solutions to unknown tasks, without having previously defined solutions for these tasks.

Artificial intelligence is based on data and algorithms that work from it. through the process detailed below:

  1. Identify the importance of the problem.
  2. Analyze past situations and study all the possible variables related to the problem you want to analyze.
  3. Using a statistical system, predict the outcome of this problem, always using known data.
  4. Once the system has all the data, it provides the most realistic solution to the problem. Thus, AI learns to automatically solve a similar problem in the future.

In one way or another, AI is present in almost all areas: education, commerce, health, finance, legal, industry, etc. Why is this happening? Basically, due to its characteristics:

  • This can help us perform repetitive tasks involving the manipulation of a large amount of data or very complex data.
  • Deep learning: automation of predictive analysis (ability to predict future activities, behaviors or trends).
  • A computer program can process human language.

The Turing test, key to assessing artificial intelligence

The test that AI is subjected to is the Turing test, named after scientist Alan Turing, father of artificial intelligence. So the proof is that the machine can convince a judge to “think” like a human through conversation. Currently, research is underway to develop a new test. We will ask the machine to create a creative piece, with the conditions decided by the human being who evaluates.

What will happen in the future?


Artificial intelligence has been the subject of controversy among experts, mainly due to ethical issues. Stephen Hawking said in 2014 that artificial intelligence predicted the end of the human race. According to Hawking, the slow biological evolution of human beings would prevent them from competing with machines. Other scientists are more optimistic about this. They indicate that artificial intelligence can help us solve some of the world’s major problems.

According to a Narrative Science report, in 2018, 62% of companies used artificial intelligence. This trend is booming, and according to recent studies, companies that use artificial intelligence are expected to increase revenues by 39% and cut costs by 37% by 2020.