these are exciting times for artificial intelligence or AI but what is AI AI is the science of making machines smart using algorithms to allow computers to solve problems which used to be solved only by humans AI already power search engines online shopping recommendations and digital assistants radiologists can use AI to calculate the exact shape and volume of tumors revolutionising treatment astronomers use AI to find and evaluate exoplanets and distant solar systems and unhappy motorists are using it to discover if they can overturn parking fines the possibilities of AI are endless from fraud prevention to developing new strategies to address climate change AI technologies today are brilliant at analyzing vast amounts of data to learn to complete a particular task a technique called machine learning but AI is not good at transferring what it's learned from one type of task to another learning abstract concepts and one-shot learning where a general rule is learned from a single experience the sort of broad intelligence humans excel at but even without achieving this broad intelligence AI is raising questions how might a AI effect work people will still be needed in the workplace but jobs and roles are likely to change some tasks become automated and new jobs are created risk that at least in the short-term this could increase inequality if some people are disproportionately affected and benefits aren't widely shared across society and what about social equality and fairness bi is coming from AI systems even if unintentional who disproportionately affect some social groups influencing anything from job prospects to treatment by the justice system technology can play a role in helping to manage bias but people need to address big questions about how society wants to use AI technology with AI at its heart has the power to change the world the more of us that engage with shaping its development the more chance we have to ensure a better fairer future with AI you