Artificial Intelligence: A General Overview of the History, Concepts and Applications of AI

What comes to mind when you think about artificial intelligence? Perhaps your impressions are positive given the advancements AI has enabled in healthcare, in the form of precision diagnostic tools, or innovations in transportation, such as autonomous vehicles. Your views may also trend toward wariness and caution, fueled by concerns around data privacy, algorithmic bias, or fears that the worst-case scenarios offered by science fiction—HAL 9000 or Skynet—could eventually resemble fact.

While public opinion still takes shape and AI capabilities rapidly advance, policymakers and the broader public need to understand the definitions, origins, and historical development of artificial intelligence. This policy brief provides an overview of the roots of AI, tracing it from theoretical concepts to practical applications, and informs discussion around possible policies and regulations in a rapidly evolving AI landscape.

This is the first in a series of policy briefs on artificial intelligence that the Guinn Center plans to release this year. Future briefs will tackle the following topics:
Governance
Workforce Development
Education
Elections
Healthcare

Check our website often as we update our research on this evolving topic.

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