AI for the Rest of Us

Welcome to our first official journey together into the fascinating world of artificial intelligence (AI).

Week 4 newsletter: what is computer vision

Each week we've been uncovering the layers that make up the fascinating world of AI. So far, we've explored AI, machine learning, and natural language processing. Today, we introduce another cornerstone of AI - Computer Vision.

Picture this: you're in a park, and you spot a friend's dog playing fetch. Your brain instantly recognises what you're seeing - a dog, people, trees, the action of playing fetch. This seems simple for us, but teaching a computer to 'see' and understand images like we do is a complex task. This is where Computer Vision comes in.

Computer Vision is an AI technology that enables computers to understand and label what's in a picture or video, much like how our eyes and brains work together. From recognising faces in your photos to enabling self-driving cars to 'see' the road, Computer Vision is rapidly changing how we interact with the world.

But why does it matter? Well, it's transforming industries from healthcare, where it can help diagnose diseases, to retail, where it enables automated checkouts. It's making our technologies smarter, our lives easier, and opening up exciting new possibilities.

To truly appreciate the magic of Computer Vision, we have a great video to share with you this week: What is Computer Vision?

The video breaks down the complex subject of Computer Vision into easy-to-understand concepts. It explains how Computer Vision works, its wide-ranging applications, and its critical role in AI.

If you’ve got more time and want to read in a bit more depth about this week’s topic, we recommend:

1. MIT: When computer vision works more like a brain, it sees more like people do

2. Financial Times: Farm robots poised for growth as labour costs rise

As we continue on this journey, we'll keep breaking down complex concepts into digestible insights, and explore how these technologies shape our world. Remember, this journey is as much yours as it is ours. Your questions, your curiosity, and your engagement fuel our exploration of AI.

We invite you to share your thoughts, ask questions, and suggest topics for future issues. We're excited to be on this journey with you, making the complex world of AI a little more accessible for the rest of us.

Until next week …

Warren and Mark

Leaders of the AI For The Rest of Us and your curators of AI knowledge