Final answer:
Artificial intelligence is characterized by its ability to perform complex cognitive tasks at machine speed (strong AI) and its diverse applications across various industries like self-driving cars and virtual assistants (weak AI).
Step-by-step explanation:
Two characteristics of artificial intelligence (AI) are its ability to perform cognitive tasks and the variety of applications it encompasses. Firstly, strong artificial intelligence is characterized by its capacity to perform multiple complex tasks, similar to human cognitive functions but at a much faster pace. These tasks can range from solving problems to learning and making decisions.
Secondly, AI is diverse in its applications, as seen in technologies like self-driving cars, which represent reactive machines, and virtual assistants like Apple's Siri, which are examples of weak AI, specializing in singular tasks. This diversity reflects AI's significant presence across different leading industries, where it is reshaping such spaces as transportation and personal assistance. The ethical considerations, such as those raised by John Searle regarding the intentionality and consciousness of machines, reflect the complexity of AI's integration into society and the need for responsible development and governance.