What is artificial intelligence?

Abstract

Artificial intelligence (AI) is being used increasingly in the world around us. In Japan, for instance, no electrical appliance worth its salt appears on the shelves without the letters AI associated with it somewhere; Marks and Spencer use AI to help sift through graduate applicants; American Express use AI to authorise credit for customers. In this article I describe briefly what AI is, how it has been applied in petroleum, in particular exploration, and what the current trends are.