artificial intelligence
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: är′tə-fĭsh′əl ĭn-tĕl′ə-jəns
ipa: /ˌɑː.təˈfɪʃ.əl ɪnˈtɛl.ə.d͡ʒəns/
ipa: /ˌɑɹ.təˈfɪʃ.əl ɪnˈtɛl.ə.d͡ʒəns/
ipa: /ˌɐː.təˈfɪʃ.əl ɪnˈtel.ə.d͡ʒəns/
ipa: /ˌɐː.təˈfəʃ.əl ənˈtel.ə.d͡ʒəns/
ipa: /ˌaɹ.təˈfɪʃ.əl ɪnˈtɛl.ə.d͡ʒəns/
ipa: /ˌaːʳ.ʈiˈfɪʃ.al ɪnˈʈɛl.i.d͡ʒens/
Forms: form: artificial intelligences
Etymology: Coined by American computer scientist and cognitive scientist John McCarthy in 1955, and popularized at the Dartmouth Summer Research Project on Artificial Intelligence, 1956.
Senses: examples: text: Research in the modern science of Artificial Intelligence started only in the 1950's, stimulated by the invention of modern computers. This inspired a flood of new ideas about how machines could do what only minds had done previously.
ref: 1988, Marvin Minsky, The Society of Mind:
topics: computer
computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
science
sciences
glosses: Intelligence exhibited by an artificial (nonnatural, humanmade) entity.
The branch of computer science dealing with the reproduction or mimicking of human-level intelligence, self-awareness, knowledge, conscience, and thought in computer programs.
examples: text: This computer possesses artificial intelligence.
text: A United Nations agency says the United States, China and Japan are leading the world in developing artificial intelligence, or AI, technology.
ref: 2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 07 Feb 2019:
glosses: Intelligence exhibited by an artificial (nonnatural, humanmade) entity.
The essential quality of a machine which thinks in a manner similar to or on the same general level as a real human being.
examples: text: The original Sniper: Ghost Warrior was a surprise hit when it was released in 2010. A surprise because it seemed an unequivocally awful game, with half broken graphics and artificial intelligence, a tediously linear story campaign, and an undernourished multiplayer mode.
ref: 2013 March 19, “Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2 review – scope for improvement”, in The Metro (UK):
topics: video-games
glosses: Intelligence exhibited by an artificial (nonnatural, humanmade) entity.
A character or entity controlled by the game instead of a player; AI.
examples: text: Leo also said journalists must use artificial intelligence with “responsibility and discernment”.
ref: 2025 May 12, Angela Giuffrida, “Zelenskyy invites Pope Leo to Ukraine as pontiff urges journalists to report truth”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
glosses: Intelligence exhibited by an artificial (nonnatural, humanmade) entity.
A computer system or software package which is artificially intelligent.
examples: text: While the humans scurried in confusion, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) created by MIT/Bell Labs linked itself into the network of high-speed, twentieth generation computers placed at its disposal by a Red Alert Priority, evaluated data thoughtfully for a minute and a half and then proceeded to get in touch with its opposite number in the Russian Republics.
ref: 1973, Gardner Dozois, Chains of the Sea, →ISBN, Chains of the Sea, page 83:
text: What Daedadus really is, is the world's first successful wholly autonomous AI. Whatever mysterious organization managed to create the first true artificial intelligence succeeded so well that their creation managed to convince them that they'd failed... and then escaped.
ref: 2000, Sheldon Pacotti (writer) & Warren Spector (director/producer), Deus Ex
text: Dylan Hunt: "This is Captain Dylan Hunt of the High Guard. Investigation has shown that an Artificial Intelligence was involved in the tragic death of your President. In such a case, Commonwealth law demands that the AI's personality be completely erased."
ref: 2001 January 15, Walter Jon Williams, All Great Neptune's Ocean (Andromeda), season 1, episode 10:
text: Also remember that Skynet's an artificial intelligence. Intelligence, for our purpose, means being able to use reason in order to achieve your goals.
ref: 2009, Josh Weisberg, “It Stands to Reason: Skynet and Self-preservation”, in Terminator and Philosophy: I'll Be Back, Therefore I Am, →ISBN:
topics: literature
media
publishing
science-fiction
glosses: Intelligence exhibited by an artificial (nonnatural, humanmade) entity.
An intelligent, self-aware computer or computer program.
examples: text: He’s arguing that “image enhancement” is not the same thing as AI, because it’s a lot like the technology that most of your smartphones use when you’re taking a video.
ref: 2025 August 28, Dave Jorgenson, Did Will Smith really generate a crowd with AI?:
glosses: Intelligence exhibited by an artificial (nonnatural, humanmade) entity.
Synonym of generative artificial intelligence.
synonyms: word: generative artificial intelligence
Synonyms: word: AI
word: machine intelligence
word: synthetic intelligence
Hypernyms: word: intelligence
sense: self-aware computer
word: sentient
Coordinate terms: sense: deployed product
word: expert system
sense: subbranch of computer science
word: expert systems
Derived terms: artificial dumbness
artificial idiocy
artificial incompetence
artificial intelligence quotient
artificially intelligent → artificially intelligently
artificial stupidity
artificial unintelligence
frontier artificial intelligence
generative artificial intelligence
narrow artificial intelligence
strong artificial intelligence
weak artificial intelligence