With the rise of artificial intelligence, our definitions of certain technological processes are increasingly important.

Much like in the way virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality are often confused, so what most people call artificial intelligence can become muddled with virtual intelligence.

The difference between these two is vital.

If we hope to know which technology to use in our everyday and business lives, we must know what differentiates them. But there is a sea of badly written and, quite frankly, misinformed articles out there on the topic. How does one navigate through it? Where can the average techie find an explanation without all the programming jargon strewn all over the place?

Well, luckily for you, I’ve become well-versed in both these areas over the course of my career. So I’m here to help you make the best choice on which of the two you should watch, employ and invest in for the success of your business. Plain and simple.

Where We Are Today: Virtual Intelligence

While the term virtual intelligence may sound new to you, it’s actually been all around us for a few years now. It’s present when you open navigation apps like Google Maps or Waze, when you track your health and fitness improvements via Fitbit or Garmin, or when you listen to music on a smart speaker like Amazon’s Echo.

All these things seem intelligent when we interact with them on a daily basis. I mean, they can give us directions, recommend dietary and workout habits and even respond to spoken commands. But in actuality, these devices are just taking advantage of VI technology.