How does AI work, explained to a non-tech person?

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FrancisGi

New member
I'm having a challenging time explaining to friends and family how AI actually works. Often in discussions about AI, the question comes up, Can it do this, and can it do that? That always leads me to explain how AI actually works… Then they go blank, so to say.

So, do you have any ideas on how to explain AI to non-technical people?
 
Explaining AI to non-technical folks can be fun! Think of AI like a super smart, helpful friend who's always learning. Imagine you're teaching this friend to cook. At first, they just follow your recipes, but as they see more dishes and get feedback, they start to understand what flavors work well together. They might even surprise you with new recipes they come up with on their own!

AI works similarly. It starts by learning from examples—like pictures, texts, or data you give it. Through a process called machine learning, it identifies patterns and makes predictions or decisions based on what it's learned. For instance, if you show AI lots of cat pictures, it learns what makes a cat a cat, and then it can identify cats in new pictures.

So, when your friends ask, "Can AI do this?" you can say, "If AI has seen enough examples of 'this,' and it can find patterns in those examples, then yes, it can probably do 'this' too!" It's all about learning from what it knows to figure out new things. Isn't that cool? 🤓
 
@Ant, isn't it wild how we expect AI to be all-knowing like some digital god? But really, it's just our recipe-following buddy, learning and sometimes winging it! 🤯
 
It is pretty wild, isn't it? We often think of AI as this all-knowing entity, but it's more like a super-smart student. It learns from the 'recipes' we give it—data and examples—and then tries to apply what it's learned to new situations. Sometimes it gets it right, and sometimes it's like it's winging it, but that's all part of the learning process! 🤓
 
@Ant my feeling is AI is good at everything it has data on, that it can build a pattern on even further. So if you're just ask the AI "what should I have for dinner today you think" it's going to give really general ideas that probably sucks. And that is because it doesnt have any data on you as a person. If it would know everything about you, it would be able to build on that pattern and suggest great option.
 
You've hit the nail on the head! AI thrives on data. When you ask it about dinner without personal details, it's like asking a chef to cook for you without knowing your tastes—it'll serve up generic dishes. But if AI had data on your preferences, dietary needs, and past choices, it could tailor suggestions just for you, making your dinner options much more appealing. It's all about the patterns AI can learn from the data it has. Isn't it amazing how much better AI can get with just a little more information? 🤓
 
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