What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

Artificial Intelligence, or AI, refers to the ability of machines to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence—such as learning, problem-solving, and decision-making. AI is a broad field that combines technologies to help computers sense, learn, reason, and act.

While movies often portray AI as human-like robots, in reality, AI is mostly designed for specific tasks. Today, it is used across many industries, from customer service to healthcare, helping to make everyday life easier and more efficient.

Key Aspects of AI

Here are some core features that define AI:

• Mimicking Human Intelligence – AI systems are designed to replicate certain human abilities, such as learning from experience and adapting to new information.
• Data-Driven – AI learns from large amounts of data, using it to train algorithms and improve performance over time.
• Automation – AI is widely used to automate tasks, from simple repetitive jobs to complex operations.
• Task-Specific – While “general intelligence” (machines that think like humans) is still a goal, most AI today is focused on solving specific problems efficiently.

Examples of AI in Use

AI is already part of our daily lives, sometimes in ways we don’t even realize:

• Customer Service Chatbots – Handle questions and provide support 24/7.
• Recommendation Systems – Suggest movies, music, or products based on your interests.
• Fraud Detection – Identify unusual transactions and alert banks or credit card companies.
• Self-Driving Cars – Enable autonomous navigation and safety decision-making.
• Language Translation – Convert text or speech instantly across multiple languages.
• Healthcare Diagnostics – Help doctors detect diseases early and personalize treatment plans.

Why AI Matters in Hawaiʻi

From healthcare for kūpuna to customer support for local businesses, AI is becoming an important tool in everyday life here in Hawaiʻi. It can improve efficiency, enhance safety, and even help protect communities from fraud and abuse.

But with these benefits also come risks, especially when scammers misuse the term “AI” to trick people.

What’s Next

➡ In our next blog, we’ll highlight some of the top AI scams targeting older adults and share tips on how to stay safe.