What is artificial intelligence today? Roughly speaking, it’s technology that takes in huge amount of information from a specific domain (say, loan repayment histories) and uses it to make a decision in a specific case (whether to give an individual a loan) in the service of a specified goal (maximizing profits for the lender). These tools can outperform human beings at a given task.
This kind of A.I. is spreading to thousands of domains (not just loans), and as it does, it will eliminate many jobs. Bank tellers, customer service representatives, telemarketers, stock and bond traders will gradually be replaced by such software. Over time this technology will come to control semiautonomous and autonomous hardware like self-driving cars and robots, displacing factory workers, construction workers, drivers, delivery workers and many others.
今天的人工智能是什么? 大致来说,它是一种从特定领域(例如贷款偿还记录)获取大量信息,并利用这 些信息在特定情况下做出决定(是否贷款给某人),服务于特定目标(让贷方实现利润最大化) 的技术。 执行特定任务时,这些工具的表现可以好于人类。
这种人工智能正拓展至成千上万个领域(不只是贷款),在此过程中,它会让很多工作岗位消失。
假以时日,这种技术将会控制自动驾驶汽车、机器人等半自动化和自动化硬 件,取代工厂工人、建筑工人、司机、快递员以及其他很多职业的从业者。
全文总体分析
全文分为两段:第一段解释说明什么是人工智能;第二段指出人工智能正拓展至其他领域,将来会取代很多工作岗位。
要点解析
(1) Roughly speaking, it’s technology that takes in huge amount of information from a specific domain (say, loan repayment histories) and uses it to make a decision in a specific case (whether to give an individual a loan) in the service of a specified goal (maximizing profits for the lender).
【技巧点拨】本句的主干为 it’s technology ... that,由 and 引导的两个定语从句进一步解释说明 technology。 from a specific domain 和 in a specific case 为介词短语作后置定语分别限定information 和 decision。 take in 译为“获取”,specified 译为“特定的”。
(2) This kind of A.I. is spreading to thousands of domains (not just loans), and as it does, it will eliminate many jobs.
【技巧点拨】as it does 中 as 引导时间状语从句,does 指代前面的动词 spread,其整体可译为“在此过程中”。 spread 原意为“传播,散布”,这里可理解为“拓展”,eliminate 译为“淘汰”。
(3) Over time this technology will come to control semiautonomous and autonomous hardware like self-driving cars and robots, displacing factory workers, construction workers, drivers, delivery workers and many others.
【技巧点拨】本句的主干为 this technology will come ...。 like 后举例说明 semiautonomous and autonomous hardware 的内容,displacing ... 为现在分词引导结果状语。 semiautonomous 原意 为“半自治的”,因其后接 hardware(软件),故这里可理解为“半自动化”。 over time 译为“假以时日”。
全文重点词汇和短语
artificial a. 人造的,人工的
roughly ad. 粗略地,大体上
domain n. 范围,领土
repayment n. 偿还,报答
outperform v. 做得比……更好,胜过
eliminate v. 排除,淘汰
representative n. 代表
telemarketer n. 电话销售员
gradually ad. 逐步地,渐渐地
semiautonomous a. 半自治的
self-driving 自驾
delivery n. 传送,投递