Artificial Intelligence - AI

Canadian Space Agency - CSA

What is AI?

AI Definition

...artificial intelligence refers to systems or machines that mimic human intelligence to perform tasks and can iteratively improve themselves based on the information they collect. source

That is a good definition, but in our scenario, it is important to emphasize the role of AI in providing robots with the ability to make decisions based not only on what they have been programmed to do but learning and adapting to new and different situations.

When the robot helpers are empowered with AI, they can react and choose from a number of possible outcomes based on the information gathered. In this aspect, AI helps the robot act more like a human by providing a higher degree of autonomy.

In order for AI to learn it relies on a process called Machine Learning.

Machine Learning

Machine Learning Flow

Artificial Intelligence often uses something called Machine Learning (ML). This is a feedback loop that allows the system to learn from its experiences. There are four basic parts to the ML feedback loop: Training Data, The Algorithm, Results, and Data Input.

Data

AI starts and is defined by Data. AI systems require large quantities of information to help the machine learn patterns and produce useful results.

Learning Algorithm

This process is the heart of the system used to examine all available information and through many iterations find patterns within the Data. This analysis allows the AI to assess its training data and any other data it is provided.

Result

The result provided by the system after processing the data varies depending on the type of AI system being utilized. The most common types of results are:

• Predictions. eg. The weather, likely customer behaviour or engagement.

• Generation. eg. New text, image, or song.

• Analysis. eg. Checking for product quality in a production line.

Data Input

This part closes the feedback loop by taking the data created in the process, the response from the user or outside environment, and feeding it back to the Learning Algorithm for further processing or learning.

Our helper robot is now equipped with Artificial Intelligence, enabling it to make decisions and learn from its environment. In the next section, we look at the Space Challenges our robot will have to overcome.

Algorithms and Data Literacy