Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the theory and development of computer systems that can perform human tasks. AI is used when a computer is programmed to complete tasks that would require human intelligence to complete, such as recognizing images or speech. In the restaurant industry, AI is used to automate certain parts of the business, as well as to assist humans in completing tasks.
AI is sometimes referred to as “machines that think like humans.” While this is a bit of a misnomer, it does highlight the fact that the ultimate goal of AI (in many respects) is to replicate human intelligence with computers. To do this, computers have to have a certain level of intelligence, which means they have to be able to recognize patterns, learn from experience and make decisions. AI is often broken down into two subcategories: general AI and narrow AI. General AI is when a computer has the same level of intelligence as a human. This isn’t really feasible at this point in history, but some researchers believe it may be possible one day. Narrow AI is when a computer is programmed to complete a specific task, often something that would require human intelligence to complete. And these tasks could take a wide variety of forms.