SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT AI?

There's a revolution taking place right now. Here's what you need to know...

- Andrea Black

There was a time when artificial intelligence was something that we only heard about in science fiction. It might sound like the stuff of movies, but if you've taken a recent look at the news, you'll know it's become a hot talking point - with some even claiming that it might be as life-changing as the invention of the internet and mobile phones.

But what exactly is artificial intelligence and how can it affect us? Also known as AI, it's the simulation of human intelligence in machines that are designed to think and act like humans. Al can recognise speech, make decisions, solve problems and understand natural language. It's not new, but many advances in recent years have demonstrated that computing power can master complex tasks - from assisting with complex surgeries to choosing which film you might like to watch on Netflix.

While that might all sound harmless and even beneficial, AI also has some people worried. With the rise of generative AI such as ChatGPT, some are concerned it may take over our jobs, and even our creative outlets - such as writing and art.

What on earth is generative Al?