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Do You Mean Artificial Intelligence or a Pale-Throated Sloth?

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The abbreviation for artificial intelligence should always be capitalized. But there’s another type of ai you might want to know about.

The abbreviation for artificial intelligence is "AI." But, a rare synonym for a sloth is "ai."
Are you referring to a system or a cute three-toed sloth?
Is it AI or ai?

  • AI is an abbreviation for artificial intelligence and should be capitalized.
  • Ai is a rare synonym for the pale-throated sloth.


AI or Ai?

Ask a scientist what AI is, and you might get different answers, depending on their field of study. A computer scientist will tell you that AI is the abbreviation for “artificial intelligence.” A wildlife biologist, on the other hand, will tell you that ai is a synonym for a pale-throated, three-toed sloth.

Artificial intelligence - Wikipedia
Explaining the difference between “AI” and “ai” starting with Artificial Intelligence. 

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence—or AI—refers to intelligence demonstrated by machines as opposed to intelligence demonstrated by animals, including humans. AI can mimic human behavior and become smarter as it collects information. AI is not something for the near future. It’s here now, and all around us (Amazon Alexa, Apple’s Siri, a Roomba, etc.). When referring to artificial intelligence, capitalize the AI, as with all abbreviations.

“AI” has been the subject of countless shows, movies, and novels.

Ai—The Pale-Throated Sloth

There’s another ai though, and these are probably a little furrier (and a lot slower). Ai is also a rare synonym for the pale-throated sloth. These are a species of three-toed sloths that live in the rainforests of French Guiana, Eastern Venezuela, Brazil, and other parts of northern South America.

Sloths are solitary animals that spend almost their entire lives in trees.

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