AI remains to be an active subject of research and development. The way machines learn and respond by using Artificial Intelligence is dependent on their technological advancement, adaptability, and their potential to replicate or exceed human cognitive abilities. So how many types of artificial intelligence do we have?

This article will explain different types of AI along with examples.

What are the Four Different Types of AI?

Artificial intelligence has four different dimensions and each one of them has a different potential and purpose. Some of them are applicable and are more sophisticated than others while some of them are still being researched and are not scientifically possible right now.

Following are the names of four different types of Artificial Intelligence:

• • Reactive Machines
  • Limited Memory
  • Theory of Minds
  • Self-Aware

Let us explore one by one:

Reactive Machines

Reactive Machines is a type of Artificial Intelligence system that offers immediate response to certain inputs without considering any past experiences or future consequences. Reactive machines do not possess any long-term planning capabilities and therefore, they are very task specific. Their output is quite predictable, and they analyse their current environment, hence, lack the ability to adapt to any environmental changes:

Examples of Reactive Machines

As reactive machines are task-specific, they are offering plenty of services in our everyday tasks. “Spam filtering” of emails is a practical implication of Reactive Machines. It can determine the usage and density of certain words used in that email and will mark it as spam or not.

Limited Memory

Limited memory works similarly to human brain neurons. As the name suggests, limited memory is restricted and due to this reason, it cannot store the data for a longer time. Therefore, unlike reactive machines, limited memory can make informed decisions based on past states, events, and finite experiential data. The quality of output generated depends on the input given:

Example of Limited Memory

“Autonomous vehicles” are one of the applications of limited memory systems. In this system, AI is basing its action on limited historical data and observes how other vehicles are moving around them, when to change lanes, detecting neighbouring cars to avoid collisions, differentiating between different traffic rules, etc.

Theory of Mind

Theory of mind is currently a subject of investigation that is yet to be implemented. It refers to the advanced class of Artificial Intelligence where the systems will be able to remember and comprehend the human emotional state and respond accordingly.

It currently needs to be completely implemented as it requires a tremendous amount of research and work because the emotional state of humans varies rapidly and requires far greater efforts to mimic emotional intelligence:

Example of Theory of Mind

Have you heard about Sophia, the robot? “Sophia”, the robot, rose to popularity because of its human-like appearance and the ability to effectively communicate. This robot exhibits the potential of the theory of mind and consisted of efficient algorithms which allowed her to see, recognize faces, and sustain eye contact.

Self-Aware

Self-aware is the future of artificial intelligence with the sole objective to develop machines that will be much smarter, more efficient, and more accurate than the human mind. Currently, it is only in a hypothetical form.

In simple terms, a self-aware AI system will have a consciousness of its own and will be intelligent and stable enough to have its desires, states, beliefs, and needs. Renowned names around the globe like Elon Musk and Stephen Hawking have warned about the adverse effects of self-aware AI:

Example of Self-Aware AI

Have you watched the “M3gan movie”? If not, then this movie will be quite an introduction to what self-awareness is capable of. The movie revolves around the concept of how a robot named M3gan develops a consciousness of her own and becomes a nightmare for the people who had malicious intentions for her master.

Note: To explore more about Artificial Intelligence, follow our guide.

Conclusion

AI has 4 major dimensions which include “reactive”, “limited memory”, “theory of mind”, and “self-aware”. Each one of them has its own capability, functionality, and limitations. Some of the types of AI have already taken the form of practical implementation while others remain to be speculative. However, it is important to consider that there are several fears among people too regarding the advancement of Artificial Intelligence.