LG Launches AI Think Tank to Support the Global AI Ecosystem

Artificial Intelligence, abbreviated as AI in English, is a new branch of technology science that studies, develops, and applies theories, methods, technologies, and systems aimed at simulating, extending, and enhancing human intelligence. AI is a subfield of computer science that seeks to understand the essence of intelligence itself and to create intelligent machines capable of responding in ways similar to human intelligence. Research in this field encompasses areas such as robotics, speech recognition, image recognition, natural language processing, and expert systems. Since its inception, AI has seen continuous advancements in both theory and technology, and its application domains have expanded steadily. It is reasonable to envision that in the future, the technological products driven by AI will serve as “containers” for human wisdom. AI can simulate the information-processing processes underlying human consciousness and thought. Although AI is not human intelligence itself, it can think like humans—and may even surpass human intelligence in certain respects. AI is an exceptionally challenging scientific discipline; those engaged in this field must possess knowledge in computer science, psychology, and philosophy. AI is a highly diverse scientific domain composed of various subfields, including machine learning, computer vision, and others. Generally speaking, a primary goal of AI research is to enable machines to perform complex tasks that typically require human intelligence. However, different eras and different individuals have varying interpretations of what constitutes these “complex tasks.” In December 2017, Artificial Intelligence was named one of the “Top Ten Buzzwords of Chinese Media in 2017.” On September 25, 2021, to promote the healthy development of AI, the “Ethical Guidelines for the New Generation of Artificial Intelligence” were released.

The definition of artificial intelligence can be divided into two parts: “artificial” and “intelligence.” The term “artificial” is relatively easy to understand and does not spark much controversy. Sometimes we may need to consider what human beings are capable of creating, or whether human intelligence itself has reached a level high enough to give rise to artificial intelligence, and so forth. But generally speaking, an “artificial system” refers to systems created by humans in the conventional sense. As for what “intelligence” means, there are numerous questions and debates. This involves other concepts such as consciousness, the self, and the mind—including the unconscious mind. The intelligence that humans understand is precisely human intelligence itself—a view widely accepted. Yet our understanding of our own intelligence remains extremely limited, and we have only a superficial grasp of the essential components that make up human intelligence. Consequently, it becomes exceedingly difficult to define what “intelligent” means when it comes to artificially created systems. For this reason, research on artificial intelligence often involves studying human intelligence itself. Other forms of intelligence—such as those found in animals or in other man-made systems—are also commonly regarded as relevant topics within the field of artificial intelligence. In the realm of computer science, artificial intelligence has been receiving ever-increasing attention and has found applications in robotics, economic and political decision-making, control systems, and simulation systems. Professor Nelson offered the following definition of artificial intelligence: “Artificial intelligence is the study of knowledge—the science of how to represent knowledge, how to acquire knowledge, and how to use knowledge.” Another prominent American scholar, Professor Winston from MIT, defined artificial intelligence as “the study of how to enable computers to perform intelligent tasks that previously only humans could do.” These definitions reflect the fundamental ideas and core content of the discipline of artificial intelligence: namely, that artificial intelligence is the study of the laws governing human intellectual activities, the construction of artificial systems endowed with certain degrees of intelligence, and the exploration of how to enable computers to carry out tasks that traditionally required human intellectual capabilities. In other words, it’s the study of the basic theories, methods, and technologies for using computer hardware and software to simulate certain aspects of human intelligence. Artificial intelligence is a branch of computer science that, since the 1970s, has come to be recognized as one of the world’s three major technological breakthroughs (alongside space technology and energy technology). It is also considered one of the three major technologies of the 21st century (alongside genetic engineering, nanoscience, and artificial intelligence). This is because, over the past three decades, artificial intelligence has experienced rapid development, gained widespread application across many academic disciplines, and achieved remarkable results. Today, artificial intelligence has gradually become an independent field of study, forming its own distinct system both in theory and in practice. Artificial intelligence is the discipline concerned with enabling computers to simulate certain human cognitive processes and intelligent behaviors—such as learning, reasoning, thinking, and planning. Its main focus includes the principles underlying the implementation of intelligence in computers, the creation of computers that mimic the intelligence of the human brain, and the development of higher-level applications enabled by such computers. Artificial intelligence draws upon various fields including computer science, psychology, philosophy, and linguistics. Indeed, it touches nearly every discipline within both natural sciences and social sciences, and its scope has far exceeded the boundaries of computer science alone. The relationship between artificial intelligence and the science of cognition is one of practical application and theoretical foundation; artificial intelligence occupies the level of technological application within the broader field of cognitive science, serving as one of its applied branches. From a cognitive perspective, artificial intelligence cannot be confined solely to logical thinking. To achieve breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, we must also take into account visual thinking and intuitive insight. Mathematics is often regarded as the foundational science underpinning many disciplines, and it has even begun to permeate the realms of language and thought. Similarly, the field of artificial intelligence must draw upon mathematical tools. Mathematics plays a role not only in areas like classical logic and fuzzy mathematics but also enters the domain of artificial intelligence itself, where the two fields will mutually reinforce each other and accelerate their development.