AI started experiencing significant “booms” at various points in its development, but there were key moments that marked a surge in its popularity and application.

The Early 2000s – The Rise of Machine Learning

• In the early 2000s, AI’s growth accelerated due to advances in machine learning (ML), a subset of AI that focuses on developing algorithms that allow machines to learn from data.
• The advent of big data and improved computing power, combined with algorithms like support vector machines and decision trees, began enabling AI to tackle more complex tasks such as pattern recognition, natural language processing, and predictive analytics.

2012 – Breakthrough with Deep Learning

• The true “boom” of AI came in 2012 with the breakthrough of deep learning, a type of neural network that allows for training large models on vast datasets.
• The ImageNet competition in 2012, where a deep learning model outperformed all previous methods in image classification, marked a pivotal moment in AI’s mainstream recognition. This achievement was made possible by improvements in graphics processing units (GPUs), which accelerated the training of complex deep learning models.
• This marked the beginning of the AI revolution in applications like image and speech recognition, and it set the stage for technologies like self-driving cars, voice assistants, and language models like GPT (Generative Pretrained Transformers).

2010s – Integration Into Consumer Products

• AI also started booming as tech companies like Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft integrated AI into their consumer products. For example, Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa, and Siri made AI widely accessible to consumers.
• Recommendation algorithms like those used by YouTube and Netflix, driven by machine learning models, also became a major part of AI’s success.

2018 to Present – Explosion of NLP and GPT Models

• Another significant boom occurred in 2018 when OpenAI’s GPT-2 was released. The model demonstrated an ability to generate human-like text, capturing the attention of the media and tech industries.
• Since then, large language models (LLMs) like GPT-3 and GPT-4, and innovations in natural language processing (NLP), have transformed industries such as marketing, content creation, and customer service.

The Present – AI in Every Industry

• Today, AI is booming across various industries—healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing—with the integration of AI-powered tools to improve automation, productivity, and decision-making.
• The current boom is driven by cloud computing, which enables businesses of all sizes to leverage AI capabilities without needing heavy in-house infrastructure.

AI’s most recent and significant boom can be traced to the rapid advancements in machine learning and deep learning since the early 2000s, with key milestones in 2012 and 2018 marking its global rise. Today, AI is embedded in numerous consumer products and services, transforming industries and everyday life. The fusion of big data, computing power, and advanced algorithms has created an environment where AI can grow exponentially, impacting fields from healthcare to entertainment.