The AI Spectrum: From Rule-Based Systems to Generative Models

ChatGPT's explosive popularity has led many to equate it with AI itself, but this conflates one powerful application with an entire field spanning decades of research. This article breaks down the AI taxonomy—from rule-based expert systems to machine learning to generative models—each with distinct strengths, limitations, and use cases. For engineers and organizations adopting AI, this clarity is crucial: choosing the right approach depends on understanding what problems different AI types actually solve.