Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science that enables machines to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, understanding language, recognizing patterns, and making decisions.

AI can be classified into narrow AI, which is designed for specific tasks like virtual assistants or recommendation systems, and general AI, which aims to perform any intellectual task a human can do, though it is still theoretical. Key subfields of AI include machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and robotics.

AI is widely used in healthcare, finance, transportation, customer service, entertainment, and manufacturing, providing benefits such as automation, improved decision-making, and increased productivity. However, it also brings challenges like ethical concerns, data requirements, bias, and security risks. Overall, AI is transforming industries and everyday life, making machines smarter and more capable of assisting humans.