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Hold up: we’re not here to discuss how artificial intelligence can help you learn a foreign language! While AI’s foreign language capacities have certainly come to light in recent years, today we’re going to focus on artificial intelligence languages and how they can help you boost your career–no matter your field.
As you probably know, there are quite a few programming languages out there and each has its own pros and cons and specific usages; when it comes to AI, however, there are certain ones that can help you both gain a deeper understanding of how artificial intelligence tools work and customize them to best fit your needs.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into the different programming languages used to build AI systems and give our suggestions as to how you can learn them to further your own career–even if you don’t see a future in tech.
Programming Languages & Artificial Intelligence
Before we instruct you on how to learn about programming languages for AI, it’s important to first understand how artificial intelligence programming differs from regular programming. Instead of simply instructing computers to complete a series of tasks as typical coding entails, AI coding also includes teaching these computers to act human-like and make decisions like a human would.
When it comes to the applications of programming languages in artificial intelligence technology, there are quite a few and here are some of the most commonly seen:
Natural language processing: perhaps one of the most pressing and fast-moving areas of AI is natural language processing, which handles both understanding and responding to human speech or words in the most human-like fashion possible.
Machine learning: separate from simply programming computers to carry out certain actions, machine learning expects computers to learn from previous data to predict future outcomes and make the best possible decisions based on the information it has.
Robotics: robotics isn’t just a movie application of AI that we won’t see for a long time; on the contrary, artificial intelligence research is focused on advancing what robots can do and ensuring they’re learning and becoming better assistants.
Data processing: the best decisions are backed by data and as AI tools become increasingly capable of processing large amounts of data, they need to be able to identify trends, make suggestions, and flag any issues such as outliers or missing data points.
Why choose artificial intelligence programming?
After reading the above section, you may have a question: why choose AI programming over regular coding? Well, there are quite a few reasons:
AI programming increases efficiency: by learning to program AI tools to add to your day-to-day, you’ll be able to take a step back and focus on the tasks that require more human brainpower, putting your knowledge and skills to work on the good stuff instead of monotonous tasks.
AI programming helps you use data better: skilled AI models can process, analyze, and sort incredibly large amounts of data and then deliver you the information needed in a short period of time, helping you make better use of the data you collect.
AI programming allows you to provide customers with a personalized experience: with a more detailed ability to analyze customer behaviors and preferences, companies that use AI coding can provide each and every customer with a personalized experience that encourages brand loyalty.
Common Programming Languages Used in Artificial Intelligence
With a clear understanding of how artificial intelligence programming is used and why, it’s time to get right into the good stuff: learning about the common programming languages used in the field of AI.
Take your time reading through the languages we’ve outlined below and see if one fits your goals in the field of artificial intelligence.
Python
If you’ve done any research about coding in AI tools, you won’t be surprised that Python is first on our list! As one of the most popular languages for AI programming, learning Python is frequently the first step towards working in AI programming. Why? Well, Python is easy to learn thanks to its user-friendly layout and widespread libraries, which help you import dependencies to save time when working on a project.
But Python is the programming language of choice for experienced AI programmers as well, and that’s because it’s quite versatile and can be used for data analysis, machine learning algorithms, and neural networks alike, thanks to its frameworks. Lastly, Python boasts an incredibly vast online community of users to help you beat blockers to simply run ideas off of.
Java
Another very commonly used and popular programming language used in artificial intelligence development is Java, which, like Python, boasts a wide community of users to help you gain inspiration or get yourself out of a tough spot, which is incredibly beneficial for those just starting out.
Java is a popular choice for AI engineers because it’s an object-oriented language where it’s easy to write code for mobile, desktop, web, and cloud applications and can work on any computer system. It’s the most common selection in robotic engineering because it permits real-time system creation and multithreading.
Perhaps one of Java’s most powerful advantages, however, is its scalable nature, meaning it’s a good choice for small and large projects alike, in addition to projects completely outside of the scope of AI. Programmers who learn Java will be setting themselves up for success both inside and out of the artificial intelligence sphere.
C++
In a field like artificial intelligence where it’s so important to have fast and solid connections between software and hardware, programming languages like C++ have rapidly gained traction. It’s the ideal choice for developers who are working with complex systems; it’s versatile and high-performing and, best of all, works seamlessly with some of Python’s frameworks like TensorFlow and PyTorch, allowing creations from Python to be moved into C++ when the project requires additional support.
The ability to interact with and integrate projects from Python into C++ saves significant time for developers and helps them focus on creating more in-depth and useful AI tools.
Learning programming languages for AI
We listed just three, but there are tons of programming languages that can be used in the field of artificial intelligence programming and if you’re considering learning one to advance your AI knowledge and create tools that will help in your day-to-day, it’s important to dive into the exact details of what your goals are so that you can focus your efforts in the language that will most benefit your project.
When it comes to actually learning this language, however, you might be wondering how to advance. There are tons of online resources out there, such as communities or videos, but if you’re interested in truly reaching a proficiency level where you’re able to use this programming language in your AI work, you might consider taking a short course.
At Ironhack, we’ve seen a need for these key AI skills and, more importantly, the need for professionals to learn these skills in an efficient manner that directly relates to their work. That’s why we’re introducing our AI School, the perfect place for you to learn the AI skills you need to transform your career–inside or outside the tech sphere.
We’re launching short courses for practically every aspect of artificial intelligence and we’re sure there’s something there that matches your career goals. Take a look and we’ll see you in class!
