AI Literacy: An Interactive Introduction
AI is rapidly changing how we work and innovate. This guide is designed to help our new AI Guild navigate and harness its power together.
🤔 What is AI, Really?
In simple terms, Artificial Intelligence refers to computer systems that can perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. It's like teaching a computer to learn from vast amounts of data, recognize patterns, and then make decisions or predictions based on what it's learned. The key takeaway is that it's all about **intelligence demonstrated by machines**.
Learning from Data
AI systems are trained on massive datasets to understand context, nuances, and relationships.
Pattern Recognition
They excel at identifying trends and insights that might be invisible to humans.
Decision & Prediction
Based on patterns, AI can make informed choices, forecasts, and suggestions.
🗺️ Understanding the AI Landscape
Not all AI is the same. Below are a few important categories you'll hear about. Click on each tab to learn more and get a simple explanation powered by AI!
Narrow AI (ANI) vs. General AI (AGI)
This distinction is about the breadth of an AI's intelligence.
Narrow AI (ANI)
Most of what we have today. AI that's excellent at **one specific task**, like a language translation tool or a recommendation engine. This is where current tools shine.
General AI (AGI)
The more sci-fi concept of AI with **human-like cognitive abilities** across many domains. It's still largely theoretical.
🤖 Agentic AI
AI systems designed to take **action** and make decisions autonomously to achieve goals.
Think...
A smart assistant that doesn't just answer questions but can also perform tasks for you, interact with other systems, and learn from its experiences.
Example
An AI that can independently manage your calendar, book meetings based on preferences and availability, or even initiate follow-up actions on projects.
⚙️ Workflow AI / Orchestration AI
AI that automates and optimizes complex business processes or sequences of tasks.
Think...
Connecting different steps in a process, making it smarter, more efficient, and reducing manual intervention.
Example
Automating an employee onboarding process—from paperwork distribution (triggered by HR system), to IT account creation, to scheduling initial trainings, with AI managing the flow.
🛠️ Tool-Using AI
AI models that can understand and decide to use external tools (like APIs or databases) to perform actions they can't do on their own.
Think...
An AI that knows its limitations and when to "call a specialist" tool to get the job done or find current information.
Example
A customer service chatbot that, when asked about an order status, uses an API to query the order management system in real-time before providing an answer.
🚀 AI Tools in Our Ecosystem
Let's look at some of the AI tools that are particularly relevant for our organization. Click to get a suggested use case!
Google AI
A comprehensive suite including **Vertex AI** for building models and **Gemini** for powerful text, image, and code generation.
Relevance
Build custom solutions, gain deep data insights, and enhance productivity across departments.
GitHub Copilot
An AI pair programmer that suggests and completes code directly in the developer's environment.
Relevance
A powerful accelerator for our development teams, saving time and fostering innovation.
Stella AI
A specialized AI-powered shopping assistant for the beauty and retail industry, offering personalized recommendations and insights.
Relevance
A great example of sector-specific AI for creating tailored customer experiences and driving sales.
🌟 Why AI Literacy Matters & What's Next?
Understanding these basic concepts is the first step. For our organization, being AI-literate allows us to...
Identify Opportunities
To spot new ways to use AI in your own work and within your teams.
Collaborate Effectively
To communicate and work together efficiently on AI-related projects.
Use AI Responsibly
To understand the ethical considerations and apply AI in a thoughtful manner.
This AI Guild is our space to explore these topics deeper. Let's learn, share, and experiment together!