AI Science and Engineering: A New Field

Abstract

Discusses the emergence of artificial intelligence as a new field in engineering. AI first emerged in the 1950s and over the next few decades, experienced both advances and obstacles.1 However, there is now a new era of AI. The history of AI has been an acceleration from object intelligence (e.g., on symbol, behavior, and agent) to system intelligence (e.g., human, nature, and society), and from individual intelligence (e.g., learning intelligence) to metasynthetic intelligence (hybridizing and synthesizing intelligences). Building on the tumultuous AI evolutions, this new-generation AI is accelerating its pace of innovating, differentiating, transforming, and reshaping the world. The new-generation AI not only enables a smarter and more resilient humanity, well-being, and economy, but also everything else. What lessons can we learn from reviewing these AI advances and challenges? What makes AI science and engineering (AISE, or intelligent science and technology) a solid and comprehensive scientific field in addition to transforming other scientific and engineering disciplines and translating businesses and economy into their smart editions? What are the fundamental questions to be addressed in AISE? What forms the body of knowledge of AISE? What type of profile should AI professionals have to meet the requirements of AISE? What should AI education look like to produce qualified AI professionals? These questions deserve enduring, comprehensive, deep, creative, and critical thinking, ideas, and actions first and foremost to establish the AI field. Here, I share my limited view on AISE as a new discipline and the imperative developments, including the AI profession and AI education, to drive and enable the intelligent digital era and Industry 4.0. I hope my humble opinions will spur valuable debate and exchange and systematic and strategic developments of AISE in the broad AI community.