ai

1 of 3

noun

ˈī 

ˈä-ˌē, 

ä-ˈē

plural ais

: three-toed sloth

A sloth is a slow-moving arboreal (tree-dwelling) mammal and the name ai was given to this creature because of its high-pitched screech.

—Al Perkins

Three-toed sloth is a common crossword puzzle clue for the word "ai."

—Marty Noble

AI

2 of 3

abbreviation or noun

ˈā-ˈī 

variants or less commonly A.I.

plural AIs also A.I.s

1

: artificial intelligence

the field of AI

AI research

… her lifelike appearance makes her impressive, but even Sophia [a robot] isn't demonstrating true AI. She's not autonomous, and can't make her own decisions.

—Brian Wang

You have the option of facing an AI or another player online to test your skills …

—John Bradbury

specifically : a program or set of programs developed using tools (such as machine learning and neural networks) and used to generate content, analyze complex patterns (as in speech or digital images), or automate complex tasks

To tell a picture of a cat from a dog, for example, an AI needs to sift through a huge trove of images.

—Sherryn Groch and Tim Biggs

see also generative AI

2

: something (such as a robot) that operates by means of AI software

AI

3 of 3

abbreviation

1

ad interim

2

airborne intercept

3

air interception

4

artificial insemination

Examples of ai in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Abbreviation or noun

Wilson also said Republicans are likelier to use AI in their campaign strategies than Democrats, citing recent poll results by the American Association of Political Consultants. —Angela Yang, NBC news, 15 May 2026

Some media companies barely mentioned it, like NBCU’s Mark Marshall, who made only a passing mention of AI during his time onstage. —Michael Schneider, Variety, 15 May 2026

On the topic, Becerra noted that the state should work with an AI company to ensure that data centers stay in California and operate in a manner that benefits residents rather than causing issues similar to other states. —James Ward, USA Today, 15 May 2026

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have identified China’s robotics and AI ambitions as a national security threat and have little desire to give China any more access to critical US technologies. —David Goldman, CNN Money, 14 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Portuguese aí "sloth (the animal)," borrowed from Tupi aɨ́

Note: The Tupi form is based on that given by Aryon Rodrigues in "Contribuição para a etimologia dos brasileirismos," Revista Portuguesa de Filologia, vol. 9, I-II (1958-59), p. 14. The word can be found with various spellings in a number of early sources: André Thevet, Les singularitez de la France Antarctique, 1558 (Haü, Haüthi); Jean de Léry, Histoire d'un voyage faict en la terre du Bresil, 1578 (Hay); letter of José de Anchieta, 1560, in Serafim Leite, editor, Cartas dos primeiros Jesuítas do Brasil, vol. 3 [1958], p. 222, cited in Antônio Geraldo da Cunha, Dicionário histórico das palavras portuguesas de origem tupi, São Paulo, 1978 ("Est aliud animal quod Indi aig, nos propter nimiam tarditatem pigritiam dicimus" — "There is another animal that the Indians call aig, that we call on account of its excessive slowness the sloth"); Gabriel Soares de Sousa, Tratado descritivo do Brasil, 1587 (ahy).

First Known Use

Noun

1625, in the meaning defined above

Abbreviation Or Noun

1963, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for ai

• aye
• bae
• bi
• buy
• by
• bye
• chai
• chi
• cry
• die
• dry
• dye

Medical Definition

AI

abbreviation

artificial insemination