Robotics and artificial intelligence
It may be obvious, but robotics and artificial intelligence are two very different disciplines.While you can have robots with artificial intelligence, it’s equally possible for robotics to flourish without AI, and indeed most systems currently do.On this page, we’ll explain the differences between robotics and artificial intelligence, as well as exploring areas where AI is used in cutting-edge robotic technology.That’s a pretty broad definition and covers everything from a simple, mechanical arm that assembles cars, all the way to something out of science fiction like Wall-E or Amazon’s upcoming Astro ‘Alexa on wheels’ home robot.Traditionally, robots are used when tasks are either too difficult for humans to perform well (e.g.: the movement of extremely heavy parts on an assembly line), extremely repetitive or both.
Robotics and artificial intelligence
Though sometimes (incorrectly) used interchangeably, robotics and artificial intelligence are very different things.
Artificial intelligence is where systems emulate the human mind to learn, solve problems and make decisions on the fly, without needing the instructions specifically programmed.
Robotics is where robots are built and programmed to perform very specific duties.
In most cases, this simply doesn’t require artificial intelligence, as the tasks performed are predictable, repetitive and don’t need additional ‘thought’.