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

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

—John Bradbury

specifically : a program or set of programs developed using tools (such as machine learning and neural networks) and used to generate content, analyze complex patterns (as in speech or digital images), or automate complex tasks

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

see also generative AI

2

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

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

Lilly said in a video post reacting to reports of Marvel layoffs amid a larger Disney pivot to AI. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 30 Apr. 2026

In fact, according to a recent survey conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management of 1,908 HR professionals, 39% of organizations have adopted AI in their HR functions, and 62% are currently using AI somewhere in their organizations. —Mike Kelleher, Baltimore Sun, 30 Apr. 2026

In December, his newspaper The Washington Post, against the wishes of staffers, launched an AI podcast feature that badly regurgitates its articles, with predictably disastrous results. —Frank Landymore, Futurism, 30 Apr. 2026

Walmart’s decision to join them highlights how retailers with physical stores rely on a human touch to distinguish themselves from online shopping platforms and AI chatbots. —Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026

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