Artificial intelligence may have entered everyday conversation over the last decade or so but it has been around much longer (see the History of AI section below). The relatively recent rise in its prominence is not by accident.
AI technology, and especially machine learning, relies on the availability of vast volumes of information. The proliferation of the Internet, the expansion of cloud computing, the rise of smartphones, and the growth of the Internet of Things has created enormous quantities of data that grows every day. This treasure trove of information combined with the huge gains made in computing power have made the rapid and accurate processing of enormous data possible.
Today, AI is completing our chat conversations, suggesting email responses, providing driving directions, recommending the next movie we should stream, vacuuming our floors, and performing complex medical image analyses.