Why Python is the Leader of the Pack in Artificial Intelligence Development
The Unmatched Strength of Simple Syntax, Flexibility, and a Vibrant Ecosystem
As a software engineer experienced in working with several of the programming languages used in artificial intelligence development, I’ve experienced firsthand the tremendous impact that AI has had on our world. AI has become a critical aspect of modern technology and is not only transforming industries but also, with successful tools like ChatGPT, transforming our daily lives. However, creating AI requires intricate processes, making it imperative for developers to utilize programming languages that are agile, concise, and sturdy for efficient and prompt coding. This is why Python is the go-to choice of engineers across the globe. With its ease of use and simplicity coupled with a vast ecosystem of libraries and tools, it's hardly any surprise that Python is the preferred language for AI development.
Why Python?
Python is a high-level, interpreted language that’s easier to learn, read, and write than many other languages. The simplicity of its syntax and its far-reaching versatility make it the perfect choice for any level of developer, and when you throw in the vast number of libraries, frameworks, and tools that are specifically designed for AI and machine learning, it really becomes a no-brainer. Libraries like TensorFlow, Numpy, and PyTorch are just a few among the many available, but there are literally so many that writing about them would make for a rather long article.
However, what’s important is that these libraries are well-documented and provide a range of functionality, everything from data analysis to machine learning algorithms. And because they’re so well-documented, developers can quickly find what they need to start building AI models. This not only greatly reduces the amount of time needed for a project’s development, but it also facilitates developmental experimentation with divergent models and techniques.
Python's Readability
In my opinion, one of the most critical reasons why Python is fantastic for AI development is its superb readability. More often than not, AI models can be complex and difficult to understand, thus, it's important that developers can easily read and comprehend the code they’re working with. Python's readability makes it very efficient for developers and teams working together on a project, while also making the process of maintaining and updating the code a lot easier, too.
Python's Versatility
Also, Python's versatility makes it easy to use for a wide range of tasks, securing it as the optimal choice for AI development as it can be used to build everything from simple scripts to complex applications. And it’s this versatility that makes Python the leader of the pack since models can be built for a wide variety of applications and environments.
Comparing Python to Other Languages
But when it comes to AI development, Python is not the only programming language available, although it is certainly the most widely used and preferred language. Nevertheless, let's compare Python to some other programming languages and see why they’re not as well-suited. I’m not going to provide an exhaustive list, but just a few of the popular ones.
Java
Java is a popular programming language, but it is known for being unnecessarily verbose and complex. Java code is almost always longer and more difficult to read than Python’s, making it less than ideal for AI development. Additionally, and arguably just as importantly, Java does not have nearly as many libraries and tools specifically designed for AI and machine learning as Python does.
Just as an example, let's take a quick and simple look to see the difference in code complexity between Python and Java.
C++
C++ is another popular programming language but is low-level in nature, which also makes it less than ideal for AI development. The problem with C++ is that it requires a lot of code to perform even simple tasks, thus it’s more time-consuming and difficult to develop, thereby tacking on additional months or even years to AI projects. Furthermore, just like Java, C++ doesn’t have as many libraries and tools that were explicitly designed for AI and machine learning development.
R
While R is a popular programming language for data analysis, it’s not optimal for AI development due to its limited functionality and, just as in my previous examples, a limited number of libraries specifically designed for AI and machine learning.
Python and ChatGPT
ChatGPT, the large language model developed by OpenAI that’s taken the world by storm, is a mighty and shining example of Python’s superiority in AI development - and its wild success across the globe further cements Python’s reign. The power of this AI is that it uses what’s called transformer architecture, allowing it to process language inputs in a highly efficient and accurate way, which I talk about in another article entitled, Under the Hood: Uncovering the True Power Behind ChatGPT.
And as I wrote earlier in this post, Python provides a wide range of libraries and tools specifically designed for AI and machine learning, making it the ideal choice for the development of a language model like ChatGPT. Also as I mentioned previously, the vast number of libraries means that developers can smoothly experiment with diverse models and techniques, which is essential for developing a cutting-edge language model like ChatGPT.
Conclusion
As a software engineer who works with many languages used in the development of AI, it’s my strong opinion that Python is hands-down the ideal choice for AI development and this is notably evident in the successful rise of ChatGPT. Python’s remarkable simplicity, powerful versatility, and clear readability make it almost perfect to start with - but when you add in its vast range of libraries and tools specifically designed for AI and machine learning, the choice should be clear. So, if you’re a developer looking to get into AI development and you’re on the fence about what language to use, look no further than Python - at least for now.