ARTIFICAL INTELLIGENT SUPPORT

SYSTEMS
Assignment Objectives
1. Describe artificial intelligence and compare it to conventional computing.
2. Identify the characteristics, structure, benefits, and limitations of expert
systems.
3. Describe the major characteristics of natural language processing and voice
technologies.
4. Describe neural computing and its differences from other computer-based
technologies.
5. Define intelligent agents and their role in IT.
6. Describe virtual reality (VR) and emerging technologies

Artificial Intelligence (AI)"

Definition:
In its simplest sense, artificial intelligence refers to computer programs or robots
that mimic human intelligence, not only by performing the same functions that
humans do (like recognizing speech), but by being able to either reason or learn
from examples.
When people talk about artificial intelligence, or AI, and homeland security or
terrorism in the same breath, they are referring to one of a number of techniques
designed to process, organize and analyze data relating to terrorism events or
presumed terrorist behaviors.
One of the challenges to AI systems is simply figuring out what information to
collect in order to feed it into an analytic system. It is very difficult to know when
patterns are meaningful predictors of the future, and when they aren't atterns are
often presumed to be predictive, although they may not be. (That is, just because
one terrorist attack involved Saudi nationals who went to flight school does not

mean another attack will; collecting all of the information possible about Saudi
nationals going to flight school in the United States is not necessarily predictive.)
Such techniques include neural networks, genetic algorithms, data mining
techniques and rule-bases systems.

Intelligent Systems and Artificial Intelligence

A management consultant, estimates that by 2000, 15 to 20 percent of all
computer applications will include some intelligent systems.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND INTELLIGENT BEHAVIOR
Ultimate goal of AI is to build machines that will mimic human intelligence.
Like HAL from 2001 A Space Odyssey
Capabilities that are considered as signs of intelligence:

Learning or understanding from experience

Making sense of ambiguous or contradictory messages.
Responding quickly and successfully to a new situation.
Using reasoning to solve problems and direct actions effectively.
Dealing with complex situations.
Understanding and inferring in ordinary, rational ways.
Applying knowledge to manipulate the environment.
Recognizing the relative importance of different elements in a situation.

Knowledge and AI. Knowledge can consist of facts, concepts, theories,

heuristic methods, procedures, and relationships. It is also information
organized and analyzed to make it understandable and applicable to problem
solving or decision making.
COMPARING ARTIFICIAL AND NATURAL INTELLIGENCE

AI is more permanent.
AI offers ease of duplication and dissemination.
AI can be less expensive than natural intelligence.
AI, as a computer technology, is consistent and thorough.
AI can be documented.

Advantages of natural intelligence over AI

Natural intelligence is creative.

Natural intelligence enables people to benefit from direct use of sensory

experiences.
Natural intelligence enables people to recognize relationships between
things, sense qualities, and spot patterns that explain how various items
interrelate.
Perhaps most important, human reasoning is always able to make use of
a wide context of experiences and bring that to bear on individual
problems.

Benefits of AI. Make computers easier to use and make knowledge more
widely available.

Makes the use of some computer applications very friendly.

Significantly increases the speed and consistency of problem solving.
Helps solve problems which cannot be solved by conventional
computing.
Helps solve problems with incomplete or unclear data.
Helps in handling the information overload (by summarizing or
interpreting information us.
Significantly increases the productivity of performing many tasks.
Helps in searching through large amounts of data.

CONVENTIONAL VERSUS AI COMPUTING

Dimension

AI

Conventional

Processing

Symbolic

Algorithmic

Input

Incomplete

Complete

Solution Search

Heuristics

Algorithmic

Explanation

Provided

Unavailable

Focus

Knowledge

Data, Information

Maintenance and Update

Constantly being modified

Usually difficult

Reasoning

Yes

No

Does a Computer Really Think? It depends. AI programs work by Searching

for a provided solution of pattern-matching. If we consider searching and
pattern-matching thinking then computers think.
THE COMMERCIAL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FIELD

For the Roots of AI see "Figure 11.1 The disciplines of AI (the roots) and the
major applications.
Expert Systems (ES). Computerized advisory programs that mimic the
problem solving process of human experts.
Natural Language Technology. Speech recognition and speech synthesis.
Robotics and Sensory Systems. Vision and other sensory systems.
Intelligent Computer-Aided Instruction. Machines that tutor humans.
Instruction is tailored to the student based on the learning patterns and
performance on prior material.
Machine Learning. Attempts to teach computers to solve problems or to
support problem solving by analyzing (learning from) historical cases.
Handwriting Recognizers. Pen based computing, data input from handwritten
documents

Expert Systems
Experts: Have specific knowledge and experience in the problem area.
Aware of alternative solutions, chances of success, and costs incurred.
Problems areas:
Equipment purchase
Mergers and acquisitions
Advertising Strategy
CONCEPTS OF EXPERT SYSTEMS
Software that can reach a level of problem solving performance equal or greater
than that of a human expert. However the problem solving is usually
specialized and limited to a small domain. Inferences and knowledge of the
expert are transferred to the knowledge base and software.
Expertise and Knowledge. Extensive, task-specific knowledge acquired from
training, reading, and experience.

Transfer of Expertise
Knowledge acquisition
Knowledge representation
Knowledge inferencing
Knowledge transfer to the user
ES can explain its recommendation with the justifier or explanation subsystem.
BENEFITS OF EXPERT SYSTEMS
Work faster
More consistent
Transferring of organization expertise
Work in hazardous environments
Make knowledge available to many people in diverse locations
They do no become tired and bored
Can be integrated with other systems
Can work with incomplete information
Can be used in training
Enhance the knowledge of top experts
Faster decisions
Speed up maintenance and reduce downtime
THE LIMITATIONS
Captured knowledge is not always available
Hard to extract knowledge from the experts
Different experts may have different approaches, all correct
Difficult to assess situations under time pressures
Users of ES may have cognitive limits
Users may also not understand the terminology fully
Users may not trust the system and the process
Only with narrowly defined subject areas
No independent verification of conclusions for reasonableness or correctness.
Knowledge transfer is subject to perceptual and judgmental biases
Knowledge engineers (professionals that organize the knowledge base and
work on the inferences) are expensive and in short supply.
Liability for bad advice provided by an ES is difficult to assess.
PROCESSES AND COMPONENTS OF EXPERT SYSTEMS
Figure 11.4 Structure and process of an expert system.

ESs have been used in diverse problem areas. Examine Table 11.2 Generic
Categories of Expert Systems, page 486
EXPERT SYSTEMS AND THE INTERNET/INTRANET
By making the ESs available in this means organizations can reach a larger and
more diverse group of users.
By examining Table 11.3 Artificial Intelligence Contributions to the Internet,
page 489 you can see that Intelligent agents is the largest technological use of
AI.

Language Processing and Voice Technology

NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING AND VOICE TECHNOLOGY
Communicating with a computer in your natural language.
Natural languages are not always precise.
Applications of Natural Language Processing.
Speech (Voice) Recognition and Understanding. Requires recognition and
understanding.
Advantages of Speech Recognition.
Ease of access (Typing skills are not needed)
Speed (You talk about 120-140 words per minute)
Manual freedom (hands are not on the keyboard)
Remote access (Talk to it over the phone)
Accuracy (Jury is still out over this one)
Limitations. Inability to recognize long sentences, speaker dependent, stop and
start speech.
Voice Synthesis. Creation of voice patterns. The speech still appears to be
broken.

Language Processing and Voice Technology

NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING AND VOICE TECHNOLOGY
Communicating with a computer in your natural language.
Natural languages are not always precise.
Applications of Natural Language Processing.
Speech (Voice) Recognition and Understanding. Requires recognition and
understanding.
Advantages of Speech Recognition.
Ease of access (Typing skills are not needed)
Speed (You talk about 120-140 words per minute)

Manual freedom (hands are not on the keyboard)

Remote access (Talk to it over the phone)
Accuracy (Jury is still out over this one)
Limitations. Inability to recognize long sentences, speaker dependent, stop and
start speech.
Voice Synthesis. Creation of voice patterns. The speech still appears to be
broken.

NEURAL COMPUTING
Knowledge representations and processing based on massive parallel
processing, fast retrieval of large amounts of information, and the ability to
recognize patterns based on experiences. Current technology is Neural
computing and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN).
Biological and Artificial Neural Networks. An emulation of the
interconnection of the neurons in the brain.
Components and Structure of ANN. Parallel processing by interconnected
"neurons". "Neurons can be interconnected in different ways.
Processing Information in the Network. Inputs are a single attribute are
processed into (0/1). The result is also (0/1).
Hardware and Software. Massively parallel hardware is expensive so most of
the systems use standard processors with software simulation of the multiple
processors.
Benefits and Applications of Neural Networks.
Pattern recognition, learning, and interpretation of incomplete and noisy
inputs.
Review of loan applications and resulting completed loans
Create Patterns or Profiles of applicants that should be approved or denied.
They provide fault tolerance
Can generalize to produce a reasonable response
Adaptable to new environments

Predict based on historical data

Application Areas ANNs are well suited for:
Tax fraud
Financial services
Loan application evaluation
Solvency prediction
New product analysis
Airline fare management
Evaluation of personnel and job candidates
Resource allocation based on historical, experiential data
Data mining
Foreign exchange rate
Identifying takeover targets
Stocks, bonds, and commodities selection and trading
Signature validation
Prediction (Employees to hire)
Credit card fraud detection
FUZZY LOGIC
Deals with uncertainties by simulating the process of human reasoning.
Decision making many times involves gray areas.
International Investment Management: Stock Selection. A combined fuzzy
logic, ES and ANN used to forecast expected returns from stocks, cash, and
bonds.

Intelligent Agents
Can facilitate finding critical information on the Internet and assist in eCommerce.
Software Agents, Webbots, Wizards, Knowbots, and Softbots
CHARACTERISTICS OF INTELLIGENT AGENTS
WHAT CAN INTELLIGENT AGENTS DO?
1. Information access and navigation
2. Decision support and empowerment
3. Repetitive office activity

4. Mundane personal activity

5. Search and retrieval
6. Domain experts
APPLICATIONS OF INTELLIGENT AGENTS
User Interface. Monitor and assist the user
Operating Systems Agents. Provide assistance in modifying the environment.
Spreadsheet Agents. Watches users and offers suggestions
Workflow and Task Management Agents. Ginkgo from IBM monitors tasks
performed by people (and machines), learns about the tasks and their
performance, and makes recommendations based on this knowledge.
Software Development. Pattern recognition and learning needed for
information access.
Negotiation in Electronic Commerce. I want the best price for a car, vacation,
airfare.. go find it.
SOFTWARE -SUPPORTED CREATIVITY
Most current applications would probably not be defined as intelligent, because
of the lack of exhibiting creative behavior (ability to respond in unique and
non-prograVirtual Reality and Emerging Technologies
An environment and/or technology that provides artificially generated sensory
cues sufficient to engender in the user some willing suspension of disbelief.
The person believes that they are doing the real task.
They simulate sight, sound, and touch and combine these senses with
computer-generated input to users' eyes, ears, and skin.
Virtual Reality and the Internet/Intranet.
Virtual Reality Markup Language (VRML). Makes navigation through online
supermarkets, museums, and stores as easy as interacting with textual
information.
VIRTUAL REALITY AND DECISION MAKING

Boeing developed a virtual aircraft mockup to test designs.

Volvo uses VR to test cars in accidents