Everything AI: What Artificial Intelligence Is and What Effect It Has on Otolaryngology

by Mary Beth Nierengarten •

AI Terminology

The following terms are part of the AI lexicon. Although this list isn’t exhaustive, it’s enough to get you started.

Algorithm: A set of rules or instructions telling a computer what to do, typically to perform a computation or solve a problem.

Deep Learning: A subset of machine learning and a complex form of AI that imitates the way human brains process data and create patterns for making decisions. It uses neural networks that allow for unsupervised learning from unstructured and unlabeled data.

Large Language Model (LLM): A computer program, such as ChatGPT, designed to understand and generate human-like text based on patterns and information it has learned from large amounts of inputted text data such as books, videos, pictures, etc. It uses natural language processing to recognize and learn patters and relationships between words, which helps LLMs to generate responses that sound human. 

Machine Learning: A branch of AI using large sets of data to create algorithms to recognize patterns, make predictions, or solve specific tasks.

Neural Networks: A technique used in deep learning that relies on a neural network of tiny, interconnected nodes that work together to process information, similar to the interconnection of neurons in the human brain. Feedback and training improve neural networks.

Natural Language Processing (NLP): A branch of AI that uses algorithms to train machines to understand and work with human language and simulate human conversation.

Sources:

https://connect.comptia.org/content/articles/artificial-intelligence-terminology

https://www.heinz.cmu.edu/media/2023/July/artificial-intelligence-explained