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Welcome to AI

CS 3610, Artificial IntelligenceDr. Ben Schafer

www.cs.uni.edu/~schafer/3610

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Getting to know you

• “Mugshots”

• Information Sheet

Getting Started• Name : Dr. Ben Schafer• Hometown : Ames originally but …• Class : Fourteenth year (plus 5 as an undergrad)• Previous languages/comfort: Too many to list.

At one time I knew all of the ones on the list, but Java and Python are the ones I use the most.

• Anything you should know about me :• My handwriting can be messy• My voice can get loud.

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Why Are You Here?

• Common reasons I have heard.– AI looks “cool” in the movies (in my video games).– I want to write a super cool app that does ______. – AI is a “hot” field.– Knowing AI might help me get a job.– Because I needed one last class in Foundations

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Why Are You Here?

• Common reasons I have heard.– AI is a “hot” field.– Knowing AI might help me get a job.

• True??? I don’t know

• But, I do think that AI will always be relevant to the student of CS. Every practitioner of computer science should be familiar with the field, its techniques, and its current interests.

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Why?• Well, consider this list of topics :– the first Fortran compiler – timesharing systems – Deep Blue and Watson– object-oriented programming – visual programming – client-server computing – web crawlers – Marketing Systems (such as used at Amazon.com).

• All have their roots in AI research!

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How this course is “different” from other CS courses

• We will not focus our attention on programming.– Although we will program.

• We will discuss a lot of philosophical issues.– Although we will almost always ground them in algorithms

and data structures.

• You will have an opportunity to solve a problem our two outside the discipline of computer science.

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Syllabus Discussion

• Course website– www.cs.uni.edu/~schafer/3610/

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Syllabus Discussion

• The Textbook– Artificial Intelligence : A Modern Approach (3rd

edition) Russell and Norvig, (ISBN 0136042597)

• Lot’s of good books in the library or available online. Feel free to consult other books for a different approach

Grading

Activity Estimated Points (approx. %)

Homework 200 (28.6%)Research Paper 200 (28.6%)Mid-term exams 200 (28.6%)Final exam 100 (14.3%)

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Syllabus Discussion

• I take academic misconduct seriously• In general, I do not accept late work• No laptops, no cell phones

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Syllabus Discussion

• Research paper– Consists of “seven” deliverables pre-scheduled

throughout the semester.– Will consist of a mixture of individual and group

based activities– Will culminate in you working with a group of

classmates to write and “publish” a very specifically formatted overview of an AI topic of your choice.

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Your FIRST Homework

• Homework 0 is posted and due on Wed.– Type up a couple of pages (600-1200 words) on

“How do you define AI?”• This is an “opinion” piece and will be granted credit for

thoughtful completion.

– Submit via the electronic submission system (testing it more than anything).

– Bring a print copy to class.