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

2

a

: software designed to imitate aspects of intelligent human behavior

Consumers are already comfortable with the use of AI in many of the technologies we use daily.

—Ophir Tanz and Cindy Roark

The immediate danger, he said, was A.I.'s ability to create convincing false photos, videos and audio—showing things that didn't happen or weren't done by the people seen or heard in the generated content.

—Adrian Humphreys

also : an individual program or set of programs designed in this way

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

—John Bradbury

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

AIs can learn and mimic certain biases if their training data sets are not diverse enough.

—Jeremy Hsu

an AI system

AI chatbots

b

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

The Tesla CEO also shared the timeline of the Tesla bot, offering a release window to those interested in having the humanoid AI.

—Nica Osorio

see also generative AI

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

The company offers textbook rentals, homework help and tutoring, as well as a newer suite of AI tools like a service that automatically generates flashcards. —Annie Palmer, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2025

Vishal Shah will lead AI product management, per an internal memo. —Andrew Nusca, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025

In effect, the unit will develop and produce content that’s powered by AI. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 27 Oct. 2025

Kapur also chairs the studio’s board of AI ethics. —Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025

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