What is Artificial Intelligence?

From Amazon’s Alexa to Tesla’s self-driving cars, technology is taking over the way we work and live; but are computers about to take over our lives for good? 

The rising impact of technology on the world is undeniable, with autonomous processes meaning that tasks are being completed at a speed and accuracy level that is way beyond human capability. For some, this may be deemed daunting as it does leave you wondering whether humans are going to be required in the workplace in ten years' time. However, for others the prospect of technology taking over is exciting... and the answer is down to the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).  

This blog explores the definition of AI and how it has become such a key part of both the modern-day world; explaining how any computing enthusiasts who are looking for a glitch-free career can embrace the future with an artificial intelligence degree. 

What is AI? 

If you asked five people to define AI, you’d be likely to get five different answers. This is because AI isn’t just one thing. According to technology giant Accenture, it is the constellation of several technologies working together to allow machines to sense, understand, act, and learn with human-like levels of intelligence.  

Machine learning and natural language processing are all parts of AI. When they are applied with data, analytics, and automation, they are effective in helping businesses achieve their goals. 

The Rise of AI 

From originating as something which was perceived as nothing more than a science, there’s no doubt that AI is changing the world as it’s starting to establish itself in the art sector, too. We are seeing this through not only its impact on diagnosing and treating illnesses in the healthcare industry, but also its impact through digital platforms such as ChatGPT and writing assistant tools like Jasper.AI. 

From a human perspective, some people appreciate the rise in AI due to its ability to complete daily tasks in a more efficient way than humans can. However, a key reason why is has risen so quickly is that its automation process has been tipped to have a major impact on sustainability, climate change, and environmental issues. This is ideally and partly by using sophisticated sensors, which should cause cities to become less congested, less polluted, and more liveable.  

Why is AI Rising so Fast? 

The simple answer to this is because of the proliferation of data and the maturity of other innovations within cloud processing and computing power. This means that the AI adoption in society is growing faster than ever, and therefore the career opportunities are boundless. 

Did You Know You Can Study AI at Bolton?  

Ready to jump on the exciting and challenging AI train? Did you know that artificial intelligence is set to contribute over £12 trillion to the global economy by 2030? 

At the University of Bolton, the new BSc (Hons) Artificial Intelligence course is well-equipped to give you the knowledge in key AI areas to become employable in a rapidly developing sector. Throughout your studies, you’ll be taught about machine learning, natural language processing, deep learning, computer vision, and essential computing disciplines, giving you a thorough comprehension of how AI works and how it has become such a major part of global technology. 

But why should you really choose Bolton? 

- We are the first university to become a RedHat Academy, incorporating RedHat Linux certification training in our modules 

- Our lecturers have industry experience in fields such as machine learning, computer vision, data science, intelligent agents, bioinformatics, information and cyber security, and are committed to providing a positive learning experience that supports your career ambitions 

- You'll explore the most up-to-date technologies and software packages, such as Python, using IDEs, including PyCharm and Visual Studio Code 

- Throughout your studies, you’ll gain access to online educational resources from the Intel AI Academy and AWS Educate programme 

- By designing the course assignments and projects to mimic industry pipelines and standards, we aim to give you a real feel for a career in AI 

Interested in becoming part of the first group of students to study BSc (Hons) Artificial Intelligence at the University of Bolton? Click here to see the full course details and see how we can support you. 

Come and visit us at an upcoming Open Day and find out what #UniAsItShouldBe means for our students, and more importantly what it could mean for you! 

For more information, please contact us at enquiries@bolton.ac.uk or call us on 01204 903903.