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AI 101 · The basics

What is deterministic logic, and when does it beat AI?

Ordinary code. Same input, same output, every time, and you can read the rule that produced it.

In one sentence

Ordinary code.

Why it matters to a business

A great deal of what gets proposed as AI is better done as a rule. Deterministic logic is cheaper, faster, testable and auditable. Reach for AI where the input is genuinely unpredictable, not because it is on the roadmap.

AI vs plain code

Deterministic logic gives the same answer every time and you can read the rule that produced it. AI handles input you could not write a rule for. Most things proposed as AI are better as a rule, and the rule is cheaper to run and possible to audit.

What is artificial intelligence?
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Every term here was explained to us once, too. Asking is how you learn it.

Quick answers

Deterministic logic, in questions

The same answer, in the shape people ask it.

What is deterministic logic, and when does it beat AI?

Ordinary code. Same input, same output, every time, and you can read the rule that produced it.

Why does Deterministic logic matter to a business?

A great deal of what gets proposed as AI is better done as a rule. Deterministic logic is cheaper, faster, testable and auditable. Reach for AI where the input is genuinely unpredictable, not because it is on the roadmap.

AI vs plain code: what is the difference?

Deterministic logic gives the same answer every time and you can read the rule that produced it. AI handles input you could not write a rule for. Most things proposed as AI are better as a rule, and the rule is cheaper to run and possible to audit.

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Wondering what this means for your organization?

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