Basic AI Interactions

Have you ever used your phone to ask a question, such as 'What is the weather today?', and got an answer straight away? This is an example of interacting with artificial intelligence, or AI. In this lesson, you will learn about how we talk to AI in everyday situations, like chatting with it, asking questions, and using it for fun activities. Think of AI as a helpful tool that is always ready to help you.

Interacting with AI means talking to computer programs that can think and answer in ways that are like humans. These programs are made using clever coding. By the end of this lesson, you will know some common ways to interact with AI, how these interactions work, and important tips for using AI safely and well.

We will look at examples from daily life, such as voice assistants and smart suggestions in apps. You will also think about the good things and limits of AI, and take part in an activity to practise these ideas. This knowledge will help you use AI with confidence at school, at home, and in other places.

Artificial intelligence, or AI, is part of many things you do every day, such as at home, at school, when playing games, or when sending messages. Below, we will look at some common examples of how AI helps in these areas. Each example shows how AI looks at information to give useful answers or ideas.

• Voice Assistants: Tools like Siri or Alexa let you give commands by speaking. For example, if you say, 'Play my favourite song,' the assistant hears your voice, understands what you want, and plays the music. This works because AI can understand spoken words and reply in the right way.
• Google Translate: This app uses AI to change words from one language to another. You can type something in English, and it will quickly translate it into another language, like Irish or Spanish. This is helpful for school work or talking to people from other countries.
• Autocomplete and Smart Replies: In apps for messaging, AI suggests words or short answers as you type. For instance, it might suggest 'Thanks!' as a quick reply to a message. It guesses what you might say next based on how people usually talk.
• Search Suggestions: When you use a search engine like Google, AI tries to guess what you are looking for. If you start typing 'best ga,' it might suggest 'best games for 2023.' This makes it faster to find what you need.
• Recommendation Engines: On sites like YouTube or Netflix, AI suggests videos or shows. It looks at what you have watched before and recommends things you might like, to make your time more enjoyable.
• Virtual Tutors in Educational Apps: Some apps for learning use AI to give personal help. For example, if you are doing maths, the AI might give you problems that match your level and explain if you get something wrong.

Artificial intelligence does not rely on magic; it functions through recognising patterns and learning from information. Here is a simple explanation of how it operates:

1. Training Data: AI is taught using a large number of examples, such as millions of sentences for features like autocomplete, enabling it to recognise common words and phrases.
2. Pattern Recognition: It identifies repeated patterns, for instance, noticing that searches for 'Man United' are often followed by enquiries about football, and thus suggests related topics.
3. Predicting What You Want: By using these patterns, AI anticipates your needs. In voice assistants, it compares your spoken words to its trained responses to provide an appropriate reply.

It resembles a very quick-thinking system that improves with additional information. However, it is created by humans, so its effectiveness depends on the quality of its training.

Can You Spot the AI Interaction?

Now that you've learnt about how we interact with AI, let's test your skills with a fun activity. AI systems are often working behind the scenes, and knowing how to spot them is an important part of digital media literacy.

In this exercise, you'll read five short scenarios. For each one, decide if you're interacting with a real person or an AI system. Think about clues like: Does it respond instantly? Does it give personalised answers? Is the reply too general or robotic?

1. Scenario: You open a shopping website and a message pops up: "Hi there! Need help choosing a product?"
2. Scenario: You text your friend about homework and they reply, "Sure! What topic are you stuck on?"
3. Scenario: You type a question into a customer support box and get a response in 1 second: "Reset your password by clicking this link."
4. Scenario: A teacher replies to your email about a project with suggestions and feedback tailored just to you.
5. Scenario: You ask your smart speaker, "What’s the capital of Italy?" and it answers right away.

Now, decide for each: AI or Human? Write down your answer and explain why you think so.

When you're ready, click the button below to reveal the answers.

Understanding Inputs and Outputs in AI

In artificial intelligence interactions, it is important to understand the ideas of inputs and outputs. These are the basic parts of how you talk to AI systems. An input is the information or command that you give to the AI, while an output is the reply or action that the AI makes based on that input. This process helps AI to support you well in different tasks.

By understanding inputs and outputs, you will see why it is key to give clear and exact information. This helps you get correct and useful replies from AI. Let us look at these ideas in more detail.

1. Inputs: What You Provide to the AI

Inputs are the data or instructions that you give to an AI system to start a reply. These can be in different forms, depending on the tool or app you are using. Here are some common examples:

• Voice Commands: Speaking out loud, such as asking, 'What is the weather today?' This input is handled by voice recognition technology.
• Text Entries: Typing a question or phrase, for instance, 'How do I reset my password?' This is common in chatbots or search engines.
• Clicks or Selections: Interacting through actions, like choosing a recommended video in an app. The AI sees your choice as input to suggest more content.

2. Outputs: What the AI Provides in Return

Outputs are the results made by the AI after handling your input. These can be given in different ways to fit the context of your question. Examples include:

• Spoken Responses: The AI replies by speaking, such as a voice assistant telling you the current weather conditions.
• Written Messages or Answers: Text-based replies, like a detailed explanation shown on your screen in response to a question.
• Recommended Actions: Suggestions or automatic tasks, for example, the AI playing a video or suggesting a product based on what you like.

Outputs are made to be helpful and relevant, using the AI's trained data and patterns.

Understanding the link between inputs and outputs will help you interact with AI more confidently. It shows how AI systems use the information you give to make useful replies, and it highlights the need for careful communication with AI.