The document defines artificial intelligence as a branch of computer science dealing with creating intelligent machines that can solve complex problems. It discusses key events in the development of AI such as the 1956 Dartmouth Conference and Deep Blue beating the world chess champion in 1997. The document outlines several applications of AI like expert systems, speech recognition, computer vision, robotics, and game playing. It also discusses the goals, pros and cons of AI, and considers its future impact both positive in areas like automation, and potential negative consequences if not developed responsibly.