What is Artificial Inteligence


The way AI is talked up in the press makes it sound like it is something new and powerful. I don't claim to know much about it but see it from an outsider's point of view. It is actually just faster and more comprehensive access to information that is already, and has been for a while, stored. It is not "powerful" in the sense of new ideas or strategies.

One could argue, I'm sure, there are creative ideas about which information to use and how to use it. This is something different, it seems to me, than creating something that did not exist before.

More discussion is showing up about the costs of storing and retrieving all this data. It takes huge amount of electricity. This use of electricity requires water for cooling. I heard the in the State of Virginia data centers use a huge percentage of the total power generated in the state. In some states without large amounts of water that is becoming a limiting issue.

Then there is the issue of locating the data centers. They are not good neighbors for residential areas. Resistance is growing to certain locations. 

There is a general impression faster computers and better communication is always a good thing. It turns out the public does not always go for it. The super-sonic airplane, the Condor, was to be followed be many more. Today it is gone. In front of my building the "progress" from a few decades ago of widening a two lane street to four lanes is being reversed. It soon will be two lanes again (but with bicycle paths).

I hope AI helps you in some way. How it will increase the standard of living for everyone is still a mystery to me. 

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