Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Your notes

Computer Science
Artificial Intelligence
Contents
Artificial Intelligence (AI)

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 Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Your notes

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

What is artificial intelligence?

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Cambridge IGCSE 0478 asks you to describe AI systems, list their characteristics,
and explain how technologies like expert systems and machine learning work. This
page sticks to only what’s covered in the spec and tested in past papers.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a machine that can simulate intelligent behaviours similar to
that of a human
AI is a system that can:
Learn - acquire new information
Decide - analyse and make choices
Act autonomously - take actions without human input

Examiner Tips and Tricks

In the exam, vague answers like “AI is a robot” won’t earn marks. You must describe AI
as a system that learns, makes decisions, and acts autonomously. Use those three
terms—they’re from the spec.

There are two main types of AI:

Weak AI, also known as narrow AI, is designed to perform a specific task or set of
tasks
Strong AI, also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), is designed to perform
any intellectual task that a human can do

Advantages and disadvantages of AI

Advantages Disadvantages

Increased efficiency Job losses

Increased accuracy Potential for biased decision making

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 Scalability Ethical concerns over its use
Your notes

Characteristics of AI
AI shares three common characteristics:
Collection of data
Rules for using data
Ability to reason

Collection of data Rules for using data Ability to

reason

AI systems require large amounts AI systems can use logical It can change
of data to perform tasks reasoning to evaluate information its own rules
and make decisions based on that and data
The data is processed using rules information
or algorithms that enable the
system to make decisions and
predictions

Expert systems
What is an expert system?
An expert system mimics human knowledge and experience and uses a combination of
the two to solve problems or answer questions
Examples of expert systems include:
Equipment troubleshooting and repair
Technical support
Medical diagnosis system
Expert systems share four key characteristics

Knowledge base Rule base Inference engine Interface

A database of facts A set of rules or logic A program that A way for users
to generate rules that is used to apply applies the rules in to interact with
that are used to solve the knowledge in the the rule base to the the system and
problems and make knowledge base to facts in the provide input
decisions specific problems knowledge base to
solve problems

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 Examiner Tips and Tricks Your notes
If asked to describe how an expert system works, structure your answer like this:
“The knowledge base holds facts, the rule base holds logic, the inference engine
applies rules, and the interface allows user interaction.”
List all four parts for full marks.

Advantages and disadvantages of expert systems

Advantages Disadvantages

Consistent results Only as good as the data entered

Faster responses Responses can be cold and lack human emotion

Can store large amounts of data Requires training to use correctly

Unbiased

Machine Learning
What is machine learning?

Examiner Tips and Tricks

Machine learning is part of AI, not separate from it. In the exam, avoid saying they’re
“different things”, say ML is a method used to train AI systems using data.

Machine learning is one method that can help to achieve an artificial intelligence (AI)
By giving a machine data so that it can 'learn over time' it helps towards training a
machine or software to perform a task and improve its accuracy and efficiency
Uses algorithms to analyse data and identify patterns or relationships

Advantages Disadvantages

Reduces the need for manual work, saving time and Needs vast amounts of quality
effort data to perform well.

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 Can detect patterns and make predictions more Requires high processing power
accurately than humans in many cases and resources.
Your notes
Continuously improves performance as it processes
more data

Worked Example
Describe the characteristics of AI
[3]
Answer
Any three from:
Collects data
Stores rules for using the data
The ability to reason
The ability to learn // uses machine learning
… by adapting what it does
… for example, from mistakes to not make them again // result from previous
decisions impacts future
… by changing its own rules
…by changing its own data
…by being trained
Makes one or more predictions (to make a decision)
Find/analyse patterns

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