AI is all about teaching computers to do the amazing things our own brains can do, from recognising patterns and making predictions to learning new information and coming up with fresh ideas. It is used in a huge variety of applications today, from navigation apps like Google Maps and spam filters on your email to online shopping recommendations and virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa or Microsoft Gemini Live.

The technology can automate repetitive tasks, freeing human capital to work on higher impact activities. It can also help us understand the world around us, improve customer experience and enhance security. It is a key ingredient in many of the most advanced technologies available today, including autonomous cars and drones.

A common misconception about AI is that it will eventually replace humans, but that’s not the case. Most of today’s AI is machine learning, where computers learn from data by identifying and replicating the patterns it finds, rather than being programmed explicitly for each scenario. This is powered by neural networks – complex systems of interconnected nodes that process information in layers and identify trends.

Generative AI, where computers create content that can appear to be produced by a human, has caused concern among artists and writers who fear being displaced by it. But it has also created stunning visuals, music and a host of other creative works. It’s even been used to generate news articles and is the basis for a variety of popular chatbots, including MIT-developed ChatGPT, China’s DeepSeek’s AI and Google’s translation tools.