Is Machine Learning Really AI?

One of the downsides to the recent revival and popularity of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is that we see a lot of vendors, professional services firms, and end users jumping on the AI bandwagon labeling their technologies, products, service offerings, and projects as AI products, projects, or offerings without necessarily being the case. On the other hand, there isn't a well-accepted delineation between what is definitely AI and what is definitely not AI. This is because there isn't a well-accepted and standard definition of what is artificial intelligence. Perhaps it is best to start with the overall goals of what we're trying to achieve with AI, rather than definitions of what AI is or isn't. Since the beginning of the AI in the 1950s, the goals of intelligent systems are those that mimic human cognitive abilities.