Artificial intelligence (AI) is the study and creation of computer systems that can perform tasks normally requiring human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, and decision-making. The document discusses the early history of AI from Alan Turing's 1950 paper asking if machines can think to John McCarthy coining the term "artificial intelligence" in 1956. It also covers current applications of AI like digital assistants Siri, Google Now, and Cortana, as well as challenges, future areas like self-driving cars and medical applications, and pros and cons of AI development.