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AI Explorers 3-5 / Week 01 / Thursday
4/6
Week 01 · What Is AI?

Thursday

AI or ordinary program?
// Guesses, suggestions and choices
⏱ about 15 min

Thursday: AI or Ordinary Program?

Rocket holds up a calculator. "Is this AI?" he asks. "It is a computer!"

Raven taps 2 plus 3. The screen shows 5. "What do you notice? Did it guess?"

"It did exactly what the steps said," Rocket says slowly.

Nova hums. "Here is a hint," she says. "Does it make guesses, suggestions or choices?"

Two kinds of programs

A program is a list of steps a computer follows.

Some programs just follow exact steps. A calculator adds 2 and 3 and shows 5.

AI is different. It makes guesses, suggestions or choices.

An AI system could look at a photo and guess what it shows.

ProgramWhat it doesAI or not?
CalculatorAdds 2 and 3, shows 5Not AI: exact steps
TimerCounts down from 60Not AI: exact steps
Photo sorterGuesses what a photo showsAI: makes a guess
AI OR ORDINARY PROGRAM?
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Imagine a program that counts down from 10 to 0.
Imagine a program that guesses which photos show plants.
Imagine a program that suggests a song you might like.
Imagine a program that turns on a light at 7 every night.

AI does not think like you

AI uses a model to work things out. It does not think the way a person does.

AI does not have feelings. It does not get happy, sad or tired.

In our stories, Nova talks and jokes. That is pretend.

Real AI is a tool people build. It can be wrong.

StatementTrue or false?
A calculator adding numbers is a guess.?
AI does not think the way a person does.?
Real AI has feelings like a friend.?
Real AI is a tool people build.?
WHY THIS EXERCISEKnowing AI is a tool helps us use it wisely and check it.
SORT FROM EXACT STEPS TO GUESSING
  • Tap a card.
  • Then tap its spot.
1Exact steps
2Exact steps
3Makes a guess
Does a calculator make guesses? Type yes or no.
WHY THIS EXERCISEA calculator follows exact steps, so it is an ordinary program, not AI.

Story helper or real tool?

Nova jokes, gives hints and floats around the lab. That is all story.

A real AI tool does not have a mood or a favorite color.

It finds an output from its model and its data.

STORY OR REAL?
  • Read the question.
  • Tap your answer.
Nova laughs at Rocket's joke. Is that story or real AI?
A real photo sorter guesses a photo shows a rock. Is that story or real AI?
Nova feels sleepy after a long day. Is that story or real AI?
A list of steps a computer follows is a ____.
A calculator follows exact ____.
Real AI does not have ____.
Try it
Walk around your home with a grown-up.
Find three machines. Does each one follow exact steps, or make guesses?

Super thinking! Tomorrow we talk about how AI shows up in everyday life.

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