A Few Words Before We Begin
Dear students, hello! Before you enter university, this course will give you a completely new cognition and understanding of artificial intelligence. You will learn the core concepts of artificial intelligence, learn the relevant foundational knowledge of mathematics and physics, and understand the various application scenarios and development trends of artificial intelligence. The goal of designing this course is to cultivate your artificial intelligence thinking and lay a solid foundation for your subsequent professional studies. I believe that through this course, you will definitely develop a completely new cognition of and enthusiasm for artificial intelligence, laying a good foundation for future study and development. Let us embark together on this wonderful journey of artificial intelligence exploration!
Preface: Why This Book Is Needed
This pre-college AI online course aims to give students a three-dimensional intuitive cognition of artificial intelligence before they enter university, to understand the core concepts of this field, to preview the foundational knowledge of mathematics and physics required for university artificial intelligence courses, to understand artificial intelligence application scenarios and development trends, to cultivate artificial intelligence thinking, and to lay a solid foundation for subsequent professional studies. The breadth and depth of the course content not only take into account students' cognitive level, but also organically connect with subsequent professional courses, so as to form a complete learning system.
"AI Before College" Trailer
Course Modules
Chapter 1: AI Everywhere
When it comes to artificial intelligence (AI), many people's impressions still remain stuck on stereotypes such as being equivalent to robots, being highly specialized, and being far removed from our daily lives. However, in fact, AI has now penetrated every aspect of our lives in an all-round way with no blind spots. Next, let us take stock together of those AI applications that have quietly integrated into our daily lives.Video Address Lecture Notes Address
Chapter 2: The Magical AIGC
The rapid advancement of AI technology is reshaping the boundaries of content creation in an unprecedented way. Imagine that within just a few dozen seconds, a machine can conceive and generate a piece of music with a beautiful melody and rich emotion, at a level comparable to composers who have gone through years or even decades of musical creation training. This is undoubtedly a profound challenge to and innovation of the traditional model of artistic creation.
And such capability is merely the tip of the iceberg of AIGC (AI Generated Content). Today, AI has crossed single art forms and shown unlimited potential in content creation across multiple fields. From text generation for literary creation, to image drawing for visual art, and then to comprehensive coverage of audio and video production, AIGC is becoming a hot topic on social media with its unique charm, frequently flooding social media feeds and leading the new trend of content creation.Video Address Lecture Notes Address
Chapter 3: Large Models
Hello everyone, welcome to the magical world of artificial intelligence! Today, I want to introduce to you a very special "magician" - the large model. Although it does not have a magic wand, it can understand what we say, answer all kinds of questions, and even write poems and couplets, program, predict the weather... it is simply omnipotent!
So, who exactly is this highly capable large model? Let us walk together into the magical world of large models and unveil its mysterious veil.Video Address Lecture Notes Address
Chapter 4: AI's Function Is a Function
AI seems to be everywhere now, and AI seems capable of everything. Artificial intelligence technology can enable all kinds of diverse applications. Some resemble humans, some resemble dogs; some can deliver packages and do hard labor; some talk endlessly and answer fluently; and some excel at music, chess, poetry, and painting, surpassing the ordinary. So how does AI, which seems mysterious and fantastical in fans' minds, become a rigorous and realistic science in researchers' minds? Next, we will uncover the mathematical essence of artificial intelligence and introduce the mathematical core of the AI knowledge system, namely intelligent functions.Video address Lecture notes address
Chapter 5: Data Representation in AI
In the first module, the World of AI, we saw the important role AI plays in all walks of life. In the previous section, we also learned about intelligent functions, an important tool in the field of AI. So, students, have you ever wondered how the little details of our daily lives are connected to AI through intelligent functions?
In many short videos we usually watch, we see and hear words, images, videos, and sounds. Have you ever been curious about how computers understand every word we say, every painting we see, every video we play, and every sound we listen to? By studying this section, you will understand how to transform complex information into data forms that computers can process, and explore the wide applications of these technologies in the field of artificial intelligence.Video address Lecture notes address
Chapter 6: Miracles Arise from Probability
Probability, as a mathematical tool for measuring uncertainty, plays a crucial role in the field of artificial intelligence. In today's lecture, let us witness together those miracles woven by probability.
In the previous lessons, we mentioned "large language models," and society is full of endless expectations for this technology. It is helping us create and understand in unprecedented ways, whether in literary creation, data analysis, or education and research, and it has shown tremendous potential. Behind this wave of enthusiasm, what makes these models so magical? What mathematical problems are involved here? In this subsection, we will focus on a mysterious force behind artificial intelligence—probability. Let us take a look at which applications of probability knowledge make language models so magical.Video address Lecture notes address
Chapter 7: Physics in Digital Humans
Dear students, hello everyone! It is a great honor to invite everyone to step into this wonderful popular science feast and embark together on a marvelous journey to explore the unknown world. Imagine that in this rapidly changing era, artificial intelligence and computer technology are like magic, making the stage of our lives leap with unprecedented vitality and color. From TV screens to computer screens, and then to smartphones in the palm of our hands, all kinds of digital humans are entering our field of view in the most vivid manner—whether it is the virtual idol "Liu Yexi," who leads the beauty trend, or the talented virtual college student Hua Zhibing, who can play heavenly music, and even the Hongyan Guoyin digital human teacher Yan Xiaoteng, independently developed by BUPT, who patiently accompanies children in learning Mandarin. These digital humans have not only become highlights in our lives, but are also brilliant witnesses to technological progress.Video address Lecture notes address
Chapter 8: Physics in Robot Motion and Touch
In modern science fiction films, intelligent robots are endowed with multiple functions and demonstrate strong adaptability in different environments and scenarios. In the film Passengers, the male protagonist wakes up alone on the starship Avalon and encounters an android named Arthur. While keeping the male protagonist company, Arthur demonstrates excellent operational abilities, such as precisely wiping fragile wine glasses. The technical complexity behind this kind of intelligent robotic behavior fills people with anticipation and curiosity about the future of androids. If we were to design a robot like Arthur, how could we enable him to wipe a glass cleanly without breaking it due to using too much force?Video address Lecture notes address
Chapter 9: The Embodiment of AI
Intelligent machines that perceive, think, and act. In the film A.I. Artificial Intelligence, the robot boy David can not only understand human language, but also understand human emotions and even shed tears. Such a robot with perception, thought, and emotion makes people marvel at the wonders of technology. In fact, the field of artificial intelligence today is constantly advancing in this direction, and one of the most exciting branches is "Embodied Intelligence."Video address Lecture notes address
Chapter 10: AI for Science
Today, as artificial intelligence continues to break through its own limits, we are not only witnesses but also beneficiaries. The future of AI will far exceed our imagination. From poetry creation to scientific breakthroughs, artificial intelligence is profoundly changing our world. Next, let us explore together how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way scientific research is conducted, helping scientists solve complex problems, and driving scientific discovery and innovation.Video address Lecture notes address
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