What is generative AI? The evolution of artificial intelligence

Ayoola Ajila
2 min readMar 12, 2023

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Generative AI is a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) that focuses on creating models capable of generating new data that is similar to the data it was trained on. In other words, it involves using algorithms to generate new data samples that have similar characteristics to the data samples used for training.

Generative AI algorithms can be used for a variety of purposes, such as image and video generation, music composition, and natural language processing. These algorithms work by learning the patterns and characteristics of the data they are trained on, and then using that knowledge to create new, original data that has similar properties.

The evolution of AI has been driven by advancements in computing power, data storage, and machine learning algorithms. Early AI models were limited in their ability to perform complex tasks, but as technology has advanced, AI models have become more sophisticated and capable of handling increasingly complex tasks.

Today, generative AI is being used in a wide range of applications, from creating realistic video game graphics to generating synthetic data for training machine learning models. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative uses of generative AI in the future.

Generative AI can be further classified into two main categories:

Unsupervised Generative AI: This approach does not require labeled data for training. Instead, it learns the underlying structure of the data and creates new data samples based on that structure. Popular examples of unsupervised generative AI include Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), Variational Autoencoders (VAEs), and Boltzmann Machines.

Supervised Generative AI: This approach involves training the model on labeled data, where the input data and its corresponding output data are known. Supervised generative AI is used for tasks such as language translation, image captioning, and text-to-speech generation.

One of the most significant benefits of generative AI is that it can be used to generate data that does not exist in reality. This can be especially useful for applications such as video game design, where designers can use generative AI to create realistic landscapes and environments that don’t exist in the real world.

However, as with any AI technology, there are also ethical concerns surrounding the use of generative AI. For example, generative AI could be used to create convincing fake news articles or deepfake videos, which could have serious implications for democracy and public trust.

Overall, generative AI represents a significant advancement in artificial intelligence and has the potential to transform a wide range of industries, from entertainment and gaming to healthcare and finance. As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative uses of generative AI in the years to come.

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