Modern science and technology are very different from what it was a few decades ago. Fields like medicine and engineering have undergone drastic changes in their research process and inventions due to the influence of advancements in technology.
While there has been a lot of scientific breakthroughs and inventions that have improved our daily lives, a few technologies have had the sort of impact that robotics, IoT, and artificial intelligence had.
According to Techjury, robotics is a subset of Artificial Intelligence in general, but people often mistake the two and get them mixed up. The confusion between the two often stems from their overlap: artificially intelligent robots. So to put things straight, what differentiates a robot from an AI?
What is Robotics?
Robotics is a branch of engineering and science that deals with the design, construction and operation of robots. Robots are machines capable of carrying out and replicating human actions. The aim of robotics is to ease the workload on people and to create machines capable of carrying out defined tasks. Through their programming, robots can carry out specific tasks normally meant for humans effectively.
While robotics were previously made to carry out simple chores and straightforward tasks, modern robots are notable for performing far more complex tasks like bomb detection, medical procedures, and even minor military operations, thanks to advancements in technology.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Artificial Intelligence is the ability of machines to think and function as human beings. John McCarthy, one of the founding fathers of AI, defined it as “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines, especially intelligent computer programs”.
Artificial Intelligence first became popular in the 20th century due to the works of scientists like Alan Turing and Marvin Minsky, who helped launch the AI revolution. These scientists were obsessed with making computer programs that could not just perform, but also think and function like humans.
Artificial Intelligence has grown in popularity in the 21st century and can now be seen in cars, video games, mobile phones, computers, and even electronic devices.
Difference Between AI and Robotics
There are quite a few differences between robots and intelligence programs. But the major difference is that a robot is a physical machine, which may or may not require intelligence software to carry out tasks. AIs, on the other hand, are computer programs without physical forms that need intelligent software to replicate human actions. AI software can be functional in cell phones, computers and automobiles through the use of algorithms and computing programs. Robots, on the other hand, are manually controlled and can’t act without human interference, unlike AIs.
Of course, the point of confusion between AIs and robots stems from robotic AIs. Sometimes, Artificial Intelligence software is programmed into robots to enable them to act and think independently and enhance productivity. While robots are usually pre-programmed to perform a specific set of tasks with limitations, intelligence-enhanced robots enable a lot more flexibility, with the machine able to broaden its scope of performance.
