Artificial Intelligence Disruption

The term "artificial intelligence" (AI)-referring to the use of computer systems to perform tasks that normally require human understanding--has been around for nearly 60 years. But it is only recently that AI appears on the brink of revolutionizing industries as diverse as health care, law, journalism, aerospace, and manufacturing, with the potential to profoundly affect how people live, work, and play. A number of forces have converged to bring AI into its own. Increased processing power makes it possible for computers to execute complex tasks at speeds once unimaginable--at a cost that has fallen rapidly. The ramp-up in cloud computing and the outsourcing of data storage, which has come down significantly in price, have allowed companies to develop and use AI applications.