• The Applications Layer

  • 1 The Big Picture

• The Information Layer

  • 2 Binary Values and Number Systems

  • 3 Data Representation

• The Hardware Layer

  • 4 Gates and Circuits

  • 5 Computing Components

• The Programming Layer

  • 6 Low-Level Programming Languages and Pseudocode

  • 7 Problem Solving and Algorithms

  • 8 Abstract Data Types and Subprograms

  • 9 Object-Oriented Design and High-Level Programming Languages

• The Operating Systems Layer

  • 10 Operating Systems

  • 11 File Systems and Directories

• The Applications Layer

  • 12 Information Systems

  • 13 Artificial Intelligence

  • 14 Simulation, Graphics, Gaming, and Other Applications

• The Communications Layer

  • 15 Networks

  • 16 The World Wide Web

  • 17 Computer Security

• In Conclusion

  • 18 Limitations of Computing

The subdiscipline of computing called artificial intelligence (AI) is important in many ways. To many people it represents the future of computing— the evolution of a machine to make it more like a human. To others it is an avenue for applying new and different technologies to problem solving.

The term artificial intelligence probably conjures up various images in your mind, such as a computer playing chess or a robot doing household chores. These are certainly aspects of AI, but it goes far beyond that. AI techniques affect the way we develop many types of application programs, from the mundane to the fantastic. The world of artificial intelligence opens doors that no other aspect of computing does. Its role in the development of state-of-the-art application programs is crucial.