E1 - From Code to Cognition: My AI Exploration Begins

Introduction to AI and LLM - history and basic concepts

1. Introduction

In a world where the term "Artificial Intelligence" (AI) has become ubiquitous, it's crucial to ground my understanding in its foundational aspects. John McCarthy, a luminary in the domain from Stanford University, delved deep into the basic questions surrounding AI in his paper "WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?". At its core, AI revolves around the science and engineering of creating intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs. Human intelligence, on the other hand, is often characterized by our ability to perceive, reason, learn from experience, and adapt to varying situations. People often think AI and human intelligence are the same thing. But even if AI might seem like it's thinking like us, it's actually pretty different in its own ways. That's an important thing to remember!

While AI may often engage in simulations of human intelligence, it's essential to understand that a simulation, by definition, can mimic or act like the real thing but is n…