Not in its current form – generative AI – machine learning (ML) based chat GPTs & image generation models, and natural language processors (NLP).

It’s not ‘artificial’ because it relies on human-generated data for training, and humans for tuning and calibration. Take image recognition: teaching a neural network to identify cats requires feeding it images, with humans indicating the correct ones and adjusting and tuning the model. Rinse and repeat until the model is reliably able to identify cats.

It’s not ‘intelligent’ in the way we understand human intelligence. It doesn’t learn, it’s trained (machine training would be more accurate than machine learning). It lacks self-awareness, reasoning, and emotional understanding. It operates within the confines of its programming and the data provided to it, making decisions based on patterns rather than comprehension or conscious thought.

That doesn’t mean it isn’t incredible and impressive technology, and it doesn’t mean computers couldn’t become genuinely intelligent at some point in the future, but no nobody has any idea how or when this might happen, and it will not be generative AI that gets us there.

To best understand how it can be applied, it’s important demystify and cut through the hype.