Lesson 1 of 8
A written rule and a learned part, in one machine
Show on a big screenThe car park barrier lifts on its own. Nobody sits in the booth, the small guard room.
Step 1 of 4
- A car reaches the gate. Barrier down.
- The camera reads the plate. A learned part.
- The list checks the plate. A written rule.
- Both agree. The barrier lifts.
The plate is the number plate on the car. The list holds the plates allowed to enter.
Sort a machine by two facts. Did a person write the rule? Did a part learn from examples?
A machine with only a written rule follows fixed steps. That is automation. A machine with a learned part is using AI. A machine can be both.
| Shape | What decides | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Written rule only | A rule a person wrote | A traffic signal on a timer |
| Learned only | A pattern found in examples | A bus board that learned from past trips |
| Both | One of each, in one machine | The car park barrier |
Neither part can do the other's job. The camera cannot decide who may enter. The list cannot read a plate.
Watch out!
No robot nearby does not mean no AI. Many machines are a quiet program in a small box.
Put each machine in its bin.
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Try the lab to finish this lesson.