Artificial intelligence is the ability of a computer or other machine to perform tasks that ordinarily require human intelligence, such as understanding natural language and recognizing objects. The term “AI” was coined in 1956 by John McCarthy, who proposed a research project called “artificial intelligence” at the Dartmouth Conference. AI has since become one of the most hotly debated topics in both science and philosophy.
Opponents of AI argue that it is impossible for machines to replicate human cognition. They claim that humans possess some unique qualities—such as creativity or intuition—that cannot be replicated by a machine. Some opponents even fear that AI could eventually outstrip human intelligence, leading to a “singularity” in which humans would no longer be able to understand or control artificial bits of intelligence.
Supporters of AI maintain that there is no reason why machines cannot replicate many aspects of human cognition. They point to the impressive achievements of current AI systems, such as Deep Blue (the computer program that beat world champion Garry Kasparov at chess) and Watson (the computer system that won Jeopardy!). Supporters also argue that the potential benefits of AI are too great to ignore. They maintain that if we can create machines that are smarter than humans,
