A definition of AI

Here's a definition which I think most would agree on, from Computers and Thought page xx.

a

The empirical study of existing intelligent systems. As shown later, This includes animals as well as people, and activities such as locomotion and low-level vision as well as game-playing and other examples of ``rational'' thought.

b

The theoretical study of possible intelligences, and the general principles underlying them.

c

Using the above approaches to solve practical problems, i.e.

c.1

Trying to deal with the problems of existing intelligences - for example, learning problems and emotional disorders.

c.2

Designing useful intelligent (or semi-intelligent) machines.

The definition above is a clear description of AI's objectives, but it's harder to say what AI people should be doing in order to reach them. Different parts of the subject seem to be mutually incompatible, connectionism versus symbolic AI being the best-known example. There are incompatibilities on a smaller scale too, for example the split between classical and non-representational or behaviour-based AI. It may be that, like architecture, AI can be no more than a collection of tools and techniques. Or it may be that there can be found some unifying concepts which underly the whole of the subject.