What is the difference between Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things?

There are currently many terms being used in industries, especially considering Industry 4.0 and its pillars. Therefore, the terms Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things are increasingly present in companies.

Still, there is a lot of doubt about the differences between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

In this article, you will understand the differences and uses of each of these technologies.

What is Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is a technology that seeks to imitate human intelligence. The goal is for systems and machines to be able to perform tasks using the information they receive.

And when this technology is well applied, these machines and systems can learn from data and information. Consequently, the tasks performed get better, more assertive, and help in the analysis of industry data to facilitate decision making.

To get a deeper understanding of Artificial Intelligence, access our full article on the subject by clicking on the link.

What is the Internet of Things

On the other hand, the Internet of Things is a technology that allows the connection of any electronic device with other systems. This connection is made wirelessly and enables data to be sent from one device to another using the internet.

In industry, IoT can be applied in several ways, with simple and useful examples being sensors. A temperature sensor, for example, is capable of monitoring hard-to-reach places to avoid failures in equipment or production processes.

From the IoT wireless network, it is possible for this sensor to communicate with a system designed to monitor this temperature. In this way, machine operators, supervisors, and industry managers can have more knowledge about what is happening on a daily basis.

And as a result, questions about changes and improvements in the industry become easier to answer.

How did the concept of IoT start to be used?

The term Internet of Things was first introduced in 1999. This introduction took place at a lecture at the company P&G (Procter & Gamble) by a British technology expert named Kevin Ashton.

The initial idea was that if computers could transform data into knowledge without any human intervention, it would be possible for routine activities to be optimized.

And over the years, technology has developed to be able to turn this initial idea into reality.

After this first moment of introduction of the term, there were other milestones in the development of IoT.

Also in 1999, RFID was created. This acronym stands for Radio Frequency Identification and is used for wireless communication to detect objects.

After 5 years, in 2004, the Internet of Things had already become more popular. And in 2005 the UN published its first report using this technology.

In 2008, IoT was recognized by the European Union and there was a conference held in Zurich, Switzerland that same year.

Since then, the evolution of IoT has not stopped and more and more industries are getting the benefits from this technology.

Internet of Things Applications

The Internet of Things is very useful in the industry, especially considering sensors that make machines smarter.

But you’ve also certainly had contact with this technology in your daily life. Below you will find 3 of the many examples IoT has in your life.

Smartwatches

Through the Internet of Things, the watch connects with the smartphone, without wires or physical connection. Because of that, it becomes a useful and practical object, making it possible to optimize cell phone functions, monitor heart rate, and performance in physical activities.

Smart Homes

Smart homes connect electronic devices and electrical systems with a smartphone. Thus, it is possible to manage the rooms of a house using the cell phone. It is possible to mention television control, lighting, refrigerator, automatic shopping system, among other examples.

Carros autônomos

Autonomous or smart cars connect vehicle systems with cell phones through the IoT.

There is constant data exchange, and so the cars start to optimize the routes that are being carried out in real-time. The objective is always to provide more safety and economy for those who are driving.

Differences and Similarities of Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things

Both Artificial Intelligence and the Internet of Things are related to technology, to the advancement of machines in industries as well as in people’s lives in general. Because of this convergence between AI and IoT, confusion over the terms happens a lot. 

However, there are some aspects that can be considered to determine the differences between these technologies, as follows.

Definition of terms

INTERNET OF THINGS:

It is a network of objects that can be wirelessly connected to detect, accumulate or transfer data. All this without human interaction.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

It’s part of computer science to teach machines to perform tasks intelligently, just like humans do.

Purpose of each technology

INTERNET OF THINGS:

It is a communication platform between objects anywhere in the world through the internet. With this communication, important data can be shared in real-time from one system or device to another.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

It has a broader objective, which is to simulate the behavior of humans on machines. Thus, AI is always evolving to enable greater collaboration between machines and humans.

Practical applications

INTERNET OF THINGS:

With the Internet of Things, systems were created to control physical activities, monitor health indicators, make factories digital, make parking lots smart, among other applications.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:

It is seen with examples like machine learning, natural language processing, robotics, speech and image recognition, among others.

There are more differences than you might think

As it was possible to understand during the article, there are several differences between AI and IoT. And through this knowledge, you are now able to understand each of the technologies and identify when each one of them is being used. In fact, the similarities end up being that both are closely related to technology. 

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