Artificial Intelligence Programming with Python

CHAPTER 2AI Development Tools

“Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks.”

—Stephen Hawking (British theoretical physicist)

1. 2.1 AI Hardware Tools
2. 2.2 AI Software Tools
3. 2.3 Introduction to Python
4. 2.4 Python Development Environments
5. 2.5 AI Datasets
6. 2.6 Python AI Frameworks
7. 2.7 Summary
8. 2.8 Chapter Review Questions

2.1 AI Hardware Tools

As an old proverb says, “He who wants to do a good job must sharpen his tools first.” You will also need a set of tools if you want to develop AI applications. This includes both hardware and software. Hardware mainly means the computer. As AI requires a certain amount of processing power, you will need a powerful laptop or desktop computer.

• Standard Computers  For a beginner, a current standard computer is sufficient, normally including an Intel or AMD CPU with a 2 GHz clock, 8 GB RAM, 500 GB hard drive, and a current Windows, Mac, or Linux operating system. The cost is usually around $500. You can easily search the Internet for best-selling laptops or best-selling desktops to find your ideal computer.
• Computers with GPUs  For a more advanced user, if you want to train more data or build more complicated, larger AI models, you will need a more advanced computer, i.e., a computer with a graphics processing unit (GPU). That typically includes a CPU with 8 cores, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB hard drive, and most importantly an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 1080 ...